The government is yet to conduct 2021 Census and has said it (the women’s reservation bill) will come into effect only after that, which is being seen as ploy poll by the Opposition.
The Congress on Tuesday termed Women’s Reservation Bill a “poll jumla” and “huge betrayal” of hopes of crores of Indian women and girls. The party termed the move as Modi-led government’s ploy to garner votes ahead of the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The party said the government is yet to conduct 2021 Census and has said it (the women’s reservation bill) will come into effect only after that.
“Bill says women's reservation comes into effect only after publication of census, delimitation; will that be done before 2024 polls,” Congress asked.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Union Cabinet had given its approval to women's reservation bill.
He said “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam” will ensure more women become members of Parliament and assemblies.
“We want that more and more women join the development process of the country,” he said.
He added world has recognised the women-led development process in country.
“World is witnessing contribution made by Indian women in different aspects of life from sports to startups,” he said.
Earlier, Congress leader and the party’s former president Sonia Gandhi said the bill is the brainchild of their party.
"It's ours...," she said in response to a media query on Women's Reservation Bill as she arrived in the Parliament.
However, BJP leader BJP leader Uma Bharti said their party had favored women’s reservation bill whenever the demand was raised in the past.
"When this Bill was tabled by (the then PM) Deve Gowda in 1996, we had welcomed it back then too. But it was sent to the Standing Committee back then," she said.
JD(U) termed the move of women’s reservation bill by BJP government inspired by its party supremo Nitish Kumar.
The party said the Women's Reservation Bill brought by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre was "inspired" by quotas for the fair sex brought long ago by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The party said "the bill proves that Bihar shows the way".
"Bihar, in 2006, became the first state in the country where women were given 50 per cent reservations in local bodies and Panchayats. Nitish Kumar took the bold step within months of taking over as Chief Minister in November 2005", the party said.
BSP supremo Mayawati said her party will support any bill that allows reservation for women in Parliament and other legislatures, even if the party’s demand for a quota for the SC, ST and OBC within that quota is not met.
She said her party wanted women from the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes to get a separate quota in the draft legislation.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal questioned why BJP government had to wait for 10 years to implement the women’s reservation bill.
"(Women's reservation in Parliament) should be tabled, passed and implemented now. Why did they (BJP) wait for 10 years to implement it? The BJP could have supported us in 2008 and passed the women reservation bill, but they never supported us then,"he said.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate credited the party’s senior leader Sonia Gandhi for the women’s reservation bill.
“I am extremely glad about the fact that this (women’s reservation) is happening, but let's not lose sight of the fact that it was she (Sonia Gandhi) who ushered in this big reform, it was she who ensured something as big as this happened,” she said.
Jharkhand Congress chief
Rajesh Thakur while taking a veiled dig at BJP said their party had made constant efforts for the implementation of the bill.
“We had constantly made efforts to make this (reservation of women) happen, but were unsuccessful. However, now it seems that people believe women should get something.”
Congress leader Dr. M. Veerappa Moily said his party has a total commitment that reservation should be given to women.
“It (reservation for women) has to be done because the Congress has a total commitment that reservation should be given to women, both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and also in state assemblies. The equality of women is an important issue in this country, both in the Government positions and also the Assembly,”he said.
Congress leader Harish Rawat said the party’s slain leader Rajiv Gandhi’s legacy is associated with the women’s bill.
“Nothing can be more holier than this (reservation for women in Parliament). Congress has always supported and aligned with reservation and late Rajeev Gandhi’s legacy is associated with such efforts,”he said.
Omar Abullah on Women's Reservation Bill:
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said his party National Conference wants women to get equal opportunity in every field.
“We are not against women’s reservation. We want our women to get equal opportunity to represent,” he said.
AAP has said the party demands provisions of delimitation, census removed from women's reservation bill.
It said the party wants quota implemented in 2024 Lok Sabha polls
The party leader and Delhi Minister Atishi has said: “We will demand from the government to rise above reservations solely for elected representatives, and grant 50 per cent reservation to women in all government jobs.”
AAP leader Sushil Gupta said women should get reservation (in the Parliament) as there has been an active fight for equal rights for women in the country.
Samajwadi Party leader Juhie Singh said the Centre should also make sure now that the women from backward classes also get benefit from reservation.
“Samajwadi Party respects women and supports their rights. However, if reservation is being given, they (Centre) should make sure that Dalit, Adivasi and backward women get the representation,”she said.
Jammu and Kashmir former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said it is high time that women get placed themselves in the decision making places.
“I myself being a woman, I have gone through a lot as you have to face a lot of challenges in a male dominated political scene. I think this is high time that we have women in the decision-making places, whether it is assemblies or Parliament,”she said.
TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said the party’s supremo Mamata Banerjee has been raising demand of women reservation for two decades and has been sending more than 33 percent women to the Parliament without any bill.
“Our party and our leader Mamata Banerjee has been raising this demand (for women’s reservation in Parliament) for over 20 years. Even without the bill, she has sent more that 33 per cent women to the Parliament,” she said.
BRS MLC K Kavitha hailed the reported decision of the Union Cabinet to approve the Women's Reservation Bill but expressed apprehension on the contents of the bill.
She said there was no official communication from the central government and "everybody had to learn of this development through the media".
"I am elated, I am very happy and I am on cloud nine dancing away but also worried a little bit," Kavita said on Monday, welcoming the Cabinet's reported decision, but was cautious as to what would be the format of the bill or will it be the same one passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2008 amid other doubts.