Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said that his party is not against reservation for women in the Lok Sabha. However, he accused the government of pursuing it for political reasons.
He further said that his next steps will be decided in the all-party meeting to be held on April 15.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Kharge said, “We are not against the Nari Shakti Bill. I have received a letter (from Kiren Rijiju), but he is doing it for political reasons. He is saying that he has introduced this bill for political reasons. We have called an all-party meeting on the 15th. We will discuss it in the all-party meeting and take further decisions. We had made this proposal in our time; we are not against it.”
The Nari Shakti Vandan Act links reservation for women to the new census and delimitation. Due to the delay in the census, the central government is planning to use the 2011 census data for delimitation and implementing one-third reservation for women MLAs.
Parliament is scheduled to meet for a three-day special session from April 16 to discuss the Amendment Bill and Delimitation Bill in the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023 to implement one-third reservation for women MLAs.
Through the delimitation process, the number of Lok Sabha seats may increase from 543 to 816 after the amendment.
For reservation for women, both the bills need to be passed as constitutional amendments. Maintaining status quo, there is no provision for OBC reservation and SC/ST reservation will continue.
Earlier in the day, a national level ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan’ was organized in support of the proposed amendment to enact the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023, at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital.
Addressing the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is going to take one of the biggest decisions of the 21st century and described the proposed women’s reservation law as a historic step dedicated to “women power”.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Modi said, “Amidst these important milestones in the country’s development journey, India is going to take one of the biggest decisions of the 21st century. I am saying with utmost responsibility that this is one of the important decisions of the 21st century. This decision is dedicated to women power. Dedicated to worshiping women power.”
