"Mob lynching should not be linked with BJP. It's a sudden thing that has been unfortunately happening. It is happening in West Bengal also. It's is happening in Kerala too. There are no BJP governments in these states," the bureaucrat-turned politician from Sirsa in Haryana told .
Even as opposition parties accuse the ruling BJP of disturbing communal harmony and abetting intolerance, Duggal said that she joined the saffron party in 2014 because its ideology and its top leader Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, impressed her.
"That's why I quit my job and joined politics in 2014," Duggal said.
She credits the increase in women MPs in the Lok Sabha largely to Prime Minister Modi.
"So many women MPs have been elected to the Lok Sabha because Modi and the BJP gave so many ticket to women. As many as 41 out of total 78 women MPs are from the BJP," the lone woman MP from Haryana said.
Because of skewed sex ratio and gender discrimination in Haryana, women and girl related issues remain a top priority for the Sirsa MP.
At the same time, signs of improvement are visible, thanks to various government efforts. But much more remains to be achieved.
"First, there is the issue of drug abuse among the youth. Then, a lot of works have to be done for the women and girls. There is the problem of water scarcity. All these issues have to be addressed on priority," the former tax officer said.
Transition from bureaucracy to politics has been quite smooth for Duggal as she now finds herself in a better position to work for the people.
"Being an MP, you are a policy maker and a lawmaker. So, if you have something in mind which you can do for the public at large, you get an opportunity to do that," she said.
( With inputs from IANS )