Sule calls for passage of Women’s Reservation Bill
The Women’s Reservation Bill was cleared in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 amid a ruckus and the then Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government did not push it in Lok Sabha
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lawmaker Supriya Sule on Monday called for the passage of the bill that seeks to reserve 33% of Lok Sabha and assembly seats for women, a day after leaders across the political divide pushed for it at an all-party meeting ahead of the five-day special Parliament session.
“...50% of the population is women... so why do not we deliberate [on the bill] in the new building...maybe the first decision the...PM [Prime Minister Narendra Modi] can take is ask [for support]...we all support him if he brings in the [bill for] the reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies. We will all support wholeheartedly,” Sule said in her speech on the first day of the session, which began in the existing Parliament building. The session was due to move to the new House complex on Tuesday.
The Women’s Reservation Bill was cleared in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 amid a ruckus. The then Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government did not push the bill in Lok Sabha as its allies such as Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Samajwadi Party demanded a quota for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within the quota.
RJD’s Manoj Jha was among those who pushed for passage of the bill at the all-party meeting on Sunday.
Sule said Parliament’s sittings have been going down. “In 1956 the longest...for 151 days...were held...why cannot we have more sittings? We are all happy to come here and deliberate and make sure we serve the nation. ...a record number of ordinances have been introduced. So, why don’t we have more Parliament days?”
She referred to her home state Maharashtra’s contribution and called it substantial. She added she was proud of that. Sule criticised Modi for calling the NCP a “Naturally Corrupt Party” and alleging her party indulged in corruption.
