Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to get the Women’s Reservation Bill passed in the Lok Sabha by taking advantage of the ruling party’s majority in the House. The letter comes amid reports that the BJP government is planning to take the Bill — envisaging 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures — out of cold storage. The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha way back in 2010.
“I am writing to request you to take advantage of your majority in the Lok Sabha to now get the Women’s Reservation Bill passed in the lower house as well,” Sonia wrote. She assured the PM of the Congress’s support to the Bill, which she said would be a significant step forward in the empowerment of women.
Addressing a press conference at AICC headquarters, Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev attacked the government for not taking up the Bill. “Hopes were high (for the Bill in 2014, when the BJP government took over) and the reason why is… this government after many decades came with absolute majority. So the question we ask Prime Minister Modi is that after three years — various women’s groups and NGOs have been demanding and agitating inside and outside Parliament for the Bill to be passed — why the delay?” she said.
The ruling BJP should show its commitment towards the legislation and not indulge in mere “symbolism”, she added.
The BJP took strong exception to Sonia’s letter to the PM. “Rather than writing to the Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi ought to have written or spoken to her alliance partners like Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh to find why they blocked the Bill when the UPA was in power,” said BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao.
However, BJP sources said the government may take up the Bill before 2019. “There have been some discussions on the Bill. The government is expected to take it up before its current term ends,” said a party general secretary.
According to the sources, refreshing the Bill for consideration and passage would have electoral impact. “It will not only earn goodwill and electoral support for the party but also push regional parties into a dilemma,” said a leader. “Many parties in the Hindi heartland do not back the idea of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies. If the government pushes the Bill, it will put them in trouble.”
A BJP general secretary said the party and the government would speak to all parties before taking up the Bill.
A section of BJP leaders, including UP CM Yogi Adityanath, had opposed the Bill. When it was discussed in Parliament, Adityanath, then Gorakhpur MP, had written an article saying “women power does not require freedom, but protection and channelisation”.
