Trying to bring 33% reservation for women in Congress-ruled states: Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Friday said that Congress will take forward the demand of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislature and try its best to bring it in all Congress-ruled states.

Addressing the media here, Pilot said: "Congress promised 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislature in its manifesto. A Cabinet meeting was held and we have planned how take a step forward in this direction. If not across India, we will try our best to bring it in all Congress-ruled states."

Criticising the Centre for not giving proper attention to this matter, Pilot said: "BJP government brought in so many constitutional amendments in five years but their dual face came out in this matter."

"UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi continuously wrote to them in these five years but they (Centre) didn't implement it because they never intended to," he added.

Earlier, Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed a resolution in which they have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the government to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies.

Punjab government response comes after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to Captain Amarinder Singh on December 6 to seek support for 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

It is worth mentioning that the Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution 108th Amendment Bill in 2010. However, the Bill lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha in 2014. The Legislative Assemblies of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have already taken a lead and passed a resolution calling on the Central government to enact the Women's Reservation. Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev had also written to all Congress-led state governments regarding Women's Reservation Bill.