'Empowerment' Vs 'Betrayal': Women's Reservation Bill Sparks Mega War Ahead Of 2024 Lok Sabha Election
The Women's Reservation Bill has been condemned by Congress as a "huge betrayal of the hopes of crores of Indian women."
The Women's Reservation Bill, or 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,' which seeks to reserve 33 percent of Lok Sabha and state legislative Assemblies seats for women, was introduced in the Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday, September 19. The bill has been condemned by Congress as a "huge betrayal of the hopes of crores of Indian women." According to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, the administration is only making a 'vague pledge.'
Taking to X, Ramesh stated: "The reservation for women will come into effect only following the first decadal Census conducted AFTER the Women’s Reservation Bill has become an Act. When will this Census take place? The Bill also says the reservation come into effect only after the publication of the next Census and the subsequent delimitation exercise thereafter. Will the Census and delimitation be done before the 2024 elections?"
In a season of election jumlas, this one is the biggest of them all! A huge betrayal of the hopes of crores of Indian women and girls.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 19, 2023
As we had pointed out earlier, Modi government has not yet conducted the 2021 Decadal Census making India the only country in G20 that has…
Calling the bill as "betrayal of the women's movement and their struggle," Congress MP Manish Tewari stated: "The Bill which has been introduced is unfortunately a betrayal of the women's movement and their struggle for greater representation in policy making and in legislative affairs. Clause 334 A of the Bill says that the reservation will come into effect after the first census post the passage of the Constitutional Amendment Bill and the delimitation which would follow. So essentially what it means is that under no circumstances will this reservation come into effect before 2029..."
#WATCH | Delhi: On the Women's Reservation Bill, Congress MP Manish Tewari says, "The Bill which has been introduced is unfortunately a betrayal of the women's movement and their struggle for greater representation in policy making and in legislative affairs. Clause 334 A of the… pic.twitter.com/ZhPK8FvOmN
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal voiced his concerns over the Bill and stated that BJP wants to take a political advantage in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. Speaking with media, Sibal stated: "They (BJP govt) want political advantage in 2024 and want to tell women that they did such a historic thing...they should have done this in 2014. What is so historic about this?...there will be a census and delimitation before the Women's Reservation Bill is implemented. What if census and delimitation don't happen? They're just showing dreams to women that they will get reservation in 2029...they can't think anything other than politics."
#WATCH | On Women's Reservation Bill, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal says, "They (BJP govt) want political advantage in 2024 and want to tell women that they did such a historic thing...they should have done this in 2014. What is so historic about this?...there will be a census and… pic.twitter.com/VEOumSlddc
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
Former MP Prakash Ambedkar also expressed his worries over the Bill on X (previously known as Twitter). He stated: "This “incomplete” Bill is an eye-wash. It is a political gimmick by the BJP aimed only to sell itself to the women only to exclude them in real sense. In reality, Manu lies in the DNA of the BJP-RSS."
We welcome the #WomenReservationBill because this is a knife in the heart of Manu.
— Prakash Ambedkar (@Prksh_Ambedkar) September 19, 2023
But we have our concerns.
The socialisation of candidature and through it the socialisation of political power which began with the system of parliamentary democracy is being put to nought by… pic.twitter.com/6r4DDfr55Y
Delhi Minister Atishi stated that the main purpose of the women's reservation bill today was to "fool women," PTI reported. Speaking to the reporters, she stated: "AAP supports the Women's Reservation Bill in principle but the bill which was tabled today wasn't Women's Reservation Bill, it is a bill to fool women."
VIDEO | "AAP supports the Women's Reservation Bill in principle but the bill which was tabled today wasn't Women's Reservation Bill, it is a bill to fool women," says Delhi minister @AtishiAAP on Women's Reservation Bill being tabled in Lok Sabha.#WomenReservationBill pic.twitter.com/aMBzYsizWk
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge noted that the women's reservation bill was earlier adopted in 2010, after the Centre proposed legislation seeking 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and legislative assembly. While addressing Rajya Sabha at the new Parliament building, Kharge stated: “They don't give us credit but I want to bring to their notice that the Women Reservation Bill was already passed in 2010 but it was stopped."
#WATCH | Special Session of Parliament: On Women's Reservation Bill, Leader of LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge says "...They don't give us credit but I want to bring to their notice that the Women Reservation Bill was already passed in 2010 but it was stopped..." pic.twitter.com/U99r0LmWkj
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman retaliated against Kharge, and stated: "We respect the leader of the opposition but to make a sweeping statement that all parties choose women who are not effective is absolutely unacceptable. We all have been empowered by our party, PM. President Droupadi Murmu is an empowered woman".
#WATCH | On Mallikarjun Kharge's statement, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "We respect the leader of the opposition but to make a sweeping statement that all parties choose women who are not effective is absolutely unacceptable. We all have been empowered by our… pic.twitter.com/AFFibLyovo
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
Responding to Sitharaman, Kharge stated: “Women from backward, ST don't get such opportunities which they are getting, this is what we are saying”.
Meanwhile, BJP Leader Agnimitra Paul seeked answers from Mamta Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for opposing the Women’s Reservation Bill. Speaking with media, she stated: “I think this bill was pending for so long and Congress didn’t do anything. Today, BJP has tabled the bill and hopefully it will be passed. And we are not surprised because PM Modi has been working tediously for the women of Bharat."
VIDEO | “I think this bill was pending for so long and Congress didn’t do anything. Today, BJP has tabled the bill and hopefully it will be passed. And we are not surprised because PM Modi has been working tediously for the women of Bharat. But Mamta Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi and… pic.twitter.com/TuLWq3jWMZ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 19, 2023
On the Women's Reservation Bill, BJP MP Pragya Thakur stated: "...We congratulate all the women in the country for the Women's Reservation Bill...The bill that has been brought by the BJP govt under PM Modi's leadership is for the good of all of us...Women will now move forward and play their part for the country..."
Union Minister Anupriya Patel said: "...Women constitute half the population of the country. Democracy cannot be strengthened without uplifting women. This is why in the first session of the new Parliament we introduced the Women's Reservation Bill..."
#WATCH | Delhi: On the Women's Reservation Bill, Union Minister Anupriya Patel says, "...Women constitute half the population of the country. Democracy cannot be strengthened without uplifting women. This is why in the first session of the new Parliament we introduced the Women's… pic.twitter.com/R3mRpVjx3V
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
Earlier, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal tabled the women's reservation bill in the Lok Sabha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the law and asked all Rajya Sabha members to unanimously pass the women's reservation bill 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' after it was passed by the Lok Sabha.
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