PM Modi has no intention to legislate on political empowerment of women: Cong

The Congress today alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no intentions of legislating on the political empowerment of women and he had lied to Indian women in the 2014 manifesto.

Sushmita Dev, MP and All India Mahila Congress chief, slammed Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for urging the Congress to provide women with a "new deal" of equality and adequate representation by joining hands to pass the bills on women's reservation, instant triple talaq and nikah halala in Parliament.

She said it was "unfortunate" that the Law minister had turned into a "dealer" than legislating for women empowerment.

Prasad, whose ministry deals with issues of reservation in legislatures and personal laws, today responded to a letter by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to the prime minister to bring in the bill on granting 33 per cent quota to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

He wrote to Gandhi suggesting that the Congress and the BJP join hands to get the three bills, as well as the measure on providing constitutional status to the National Commission on Backward Classes, passed in Parliament.

Responding to Prasad, Dev said, "If anybody had 1 per cent doubt about the fact that Prime Minister Modi has no intentions of legislating on the political empowerment of women, I think the letter establishes that."
"It is extremely unfortunate that the Law Minister of India has turned into a dealer, rather than a minister who should legislate for women empowerment. I am shocked to see that he tries to cut a deal between two legislations, both of which impact women."