Women's reservation bill: Congress, BJP spar over credit, delimitation

Congress's Akhilesh Prasad Singh credited his party for the women's reservation initiative but opposed the Centre's delimitation plan. Meanwhile, BJP's Harsh V Shringla hailed it as PM Modi's vision for women-led development.

Congress Credits Rajiv Gandhi, Opposes Delimitation

Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Thursday said that the initiative to provide 33 per cent reservation for women belongs to Congress. He said that it was former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi whose efforts made women's quota in village and district panchayats possible. He, however, opposed the Centre's move to push for delimitation. "The women's bill should be passed as soon as possible. It was the initiative of the Congress itself. Rajiv Gandhi had worked to secure 33 per cent reservation in village and district panchayats. The Congress party has always wanted women to get reservations in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. The way in which the delimitation is being done, it should be opposed," Singh told reporters here.

BJP Hails Bill as PM Modi's Vision

Meanwhile, BJP MP Harsh V Shringla said that the implementation of women's reservation was part of the vision of Prime Minister Modi for women-led development. "It is the most important piece of legislation that we've had in our country for many years now. It is part of the vision of Prime Minister Modi for women-led development. If women make up half the population of our country, then there must be adequate political representation for them in our temple of democracy, which is the Parliament. The Women's Reservation Bill is incumbent on all parties to support this bill," he added.

He remarked that any party that does not support this bill is anti-women and anti-representation of women. "Any party that does not support this bill is anti-women and anti-representation of women. The parties that have tried to do this in the past and have failed are today not happy with the fact that the BJP is taking this initiative. But all political parties must come together to push through what would become a groundbreaking legislation for our country and one that women in our country would expect to happen," Shringla said.

Government's Implementation Plan

Earlier, the Centre approved the draft amendment bills to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023. The Centre has called a special sitting of Parliament from April 16 to 18. The government is planning to implement the women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections by bringing in an amendment to the 2023 Act and a constitutional amendment to delink the delimitation process from the 2027 census.

The government has proposed to increase the number of seats in the House to 850, with 815 seats proposed for the States and the remaining 35 for the Union Territories. The Lok Sabha has 543 seats at present. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)