Rajya Sabha MPs ask government to pass women reservation bill

Cutting across party lines, women MPs in the Rajya Sabha on Friday asked the Modi government to pass the women reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha ensuring 33 per cent quota for women.

Raising the issue during zero hour, women members from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal United (JD-U), CPI-M, AIADMK, Trinamool Congress and DMK urged the government to use its majority in the Lok Sabha to get the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, commonly known as the women reservation Bill, passed.

The Rajya Sabha has already passed the Bill in 2010.

Congress MP Viplove Thakur said that women could not be truly empowered until they become decision makers, and reminded the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of its promise to bring the Bill.

Samajwadi Party member Jaya Bachchan sought to clarify that her party was not against the Bill but wanted some changes in the legislation.

"There are unnecessary rumours that our party is against this bill. We are for it, but we have certain recommendations," she said.

"It is very sad that women have to put up with decisions made by men throughout their lives. Even here men are making decision for women," said DMK leader Kanimozhi.

Trinamool MP Shanta Chhetri said the West Bengal government had already provided 50 per cent reservation to women in local bodies.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) member Jharna Das Baidya demanded to know as to what was stopping the BJP from getting the Bill passed in the Lok Sabha where it has a majority.

AIADMK's Vijila Sathyananth and TDP's V. Thota Seetharama Lakshmi said their parties also support the legislation and asked the government to ensure its passage.

Nominated MP and danseuse Sonal Mansingh said women members would bring "grace, wisdom and harmony" in the legislative bodies.

--IANS

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