New Delhi: Women fronts of some political parties had encouraged attacks on minorities during the 2002 Gujarat riots, noted social activist Aruna Roy claimed on Saturday.

"The divide of political ideology, caste and religion

play a very important role in identifying how women function.

That has been evident in so many ways. There were women`s

fronts of political organisations that encouraged the assault

on minorities in Gujarat in 2002," she said.

Delivering a lecture `The Feminist in Public Action`,

Roy, a National Advisory Council member, said women in

positions also are corrupted by power though they should

empathise with the marginalised and the oppressed.

"The fact is that women of particular castes are

tortured, not just by women but by men as well...it is true

that women in positions of power also succumb to the adage

that power corrupts," said the activist in her Sumitra Chishti

memorial lecture here.

Praising the UPA`s flagship MGNREGA scheme, Roy, who

heads the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathana, termed it a

"success" of political parties and of people in rural areas.

"It is not the money but dignity attached to work. People

in rural areas seek work first and then the money," she said.

Admitting corruption was rampant in the scheme, Roy

stressed on the need to strengthen accountability within the

system by giving impetus to acts like the RTI which will

"bring corrupt netas to the book".

"Transparency must be established when you work with

public money," she added.

Speaking at the event, Yechury termed feminism "a

multi-speciality study" which sees women as equal contributors

towards development of the nation.

PTI