Under a scheme launched in Punjab to make girl child self-reliant, Cabinet Minister Razia Sultana distributed bicycles to over 100 girl students during the Republic Day event organised at Government College Phase-6 at Mohali. However, the joyous faces soon turned off as the cycles were taken away from girls shortly after enough photographs were taken capturing students beside cycles.
The minister was in the town to hoist the Tricolour at the district-level Republic Day function held at Government College at Phase 6. Earlier after hoisting the National Flag, the minister also took salute during the march past. She even dedicated ‘Sakhi: One Stop Centre’, the centre which will provide all required services to the victims of violence against women.
According to the reports, once the cabinet minister hoisted the flag, addressed the crowd, and clicked photographs with girl students standing beside brand new cycles, soon the cycles were parked in the backyard and later loaded to the trucks.
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When girls asked about the cycles, they were replied saying the cycles had defects and need to be mended. The girls were told that while some cycles have their tyres punctured, few have the loosened screws. Once checked and mended, the cycles will be given back.
When ADEO Ravinder Kaur was questioned about the report, he said that “the bicycles were not withdrawn from them. Some girls didn’t know cycling. Hence, the cycles were loaded into truck and sent to school. The school will take care of the lot and teach the girl how to ride it.”
