Gender discrimination will be ended: Dasanglu Pul, first Arunachal woman minister

Dasanglu Pul, the newly appointed minister in Chief Minister Pema Khandu's cabinet, expressed her gratitude to the BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh for breaking gender barriers and granting her the opportunity to represent women in the state's cabinet after a gap of two decades.

"Bjp is always known as a party with differences, and now Cm has proven that gender discrimination will be ended as after a long gap of 20 years I will represent as a female minister in the cabinet. I thank CM for giving rights to the deprived women representative and hope in future more women representatives will lead the state after the implementation of 33% women representation bill brought by Modi led BJP government," remarked Dasanglu Pul, highlighting the significance of her appointment and the BJP's commitment to gender equality.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Pul expressed her elation at being appointed as the first woman minister in Arunachal Pradesh's cabinet in twenty years. Pul remarked, "I am delighted, and the women of the entire state share this joy. The BJP has granted a cabinet position to a woman in our state for the first time. I extend my gratitude to the BJP Government and our Chief Minister."

Dasanglu Pul's induction into the cabinet marks a historic moment, as she becomes the first woman to hold a cabinet position in Arunachal Pradesh after a gap of 20 years. The oath ceremony, held at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Hall in Itanagar, was attended by a host of dignitaries including Union Ministers Amit Shah, J.P. Nadda, and Kiren Rijiju, along with the chief ministers of Sikkim and Assam.

Pul, 46, represents the Hayuliang assembly constituency in the Anjaw district. She was first elected in a 2016 by-election after the demise of her husband, former chief minister Kalikho Pul. She has since been re-elected twice, in 2019 and 2024, becoming one of the few women leaders in Arunachal to achieve such a rare feat.

Before her induction into the cabinet, Pul served as an adviser to the Women and Child Development department. Her appointment as a minister is being hailed as a significant step towards greater representation of women in the state's decision-making bodies, marking a progressive move in Arunachal Pradesh's political landscape.