President Droupadi Murmu hailed the Women's Reservation Bill, seeking to reserve all seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, as the most "transformative revolution in our times" for gender justice. She said this while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the biennial conference of the national human rights institutions (NHRIs) of Asia Pacific held at the Vigyan Bhawan here.
"We have ensured a minimum of 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies' election... In a more pleasant coincidence, a proposal to provide a similar reservation for women in state assemblies and national Parliament is taking shape now. It will be the most transformative revolution in our times for gender justice," the President said.
The women's reservation bill was the first bill to be introduced in the new Parliament building on Tuesday and the debate started in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Most of the opposition parties, including Congress, extended support to the bill but questioned the delay in implementation. There was also a common push for sub-quota for OBCs.
Sonia Gandhi opened the debate from the Congress side and extended her support as she urged the Centre for prompt implementation.
Putting forward her party's demand in Lok Sabha, she said, "Congress demands that women's quota bill be implemented immediately with sub-quota for SCs, STs, OBCs."
She said, "It is a very touching moment of my life. The first time, the Constitutional Amendment determining women's participation in local bodies was brought by my life partner Rajiv Gandhi."
DMK MP Kanimozhi also delivered a fiery speech and alleged that the BJP was using the bill as an opportunity to indulge in politics. She said, "I myself have raised this issue of bringing the Reservation Bill many times in Parliament. To many of my starred and unstarred questions, the Govt's reply was very consistent. They said that they have to involve all stakeholders, and political parties and then build a consensus before bringing the Bill. I would like to know what consensus was built. What discussions were held? This Bill was brought shrouded in secrecy. We did not know what this session was called for."
The DMK MP also said that Women's Reservation Bill is a poll promise of the BJP and yet many leaders had to urge them to bring this Bill and pass it. "I am happy to be speaking about the Women's Reservation Bill. We thought this Bill will be passed with all of us supporting each other and standing together. But unfortunately, the BJP has taken this also as an opportunity for politicking," she said.