Women's Reservation Bill To Bring More Women Into Leadership: BJP

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

BJP Leader Hails 'Historic' Bill

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Telangana State Secretary Bandaru Vijayalaxmi on Thursday said that the Women's Reservation Bill will enable more women to take on leadership roles, citing examples from India's history and current governance.

Speaking to ANI, Vijayalaxmi said, "Surely, because we have seen in the history of Bharat what kind of kingdoms were ruled when women took up the throne. Even in many positions today--like the President of India, Delhi Chief Minister, or Finance Minister, we have witnessed how efficiently women have managed their roles."

Elaborating on the societal impact, she further added, "With this public representation, through women's reservation, I definitely feel society is going to take a significant step forward."

Hailing the bill, Vijayalaxmi said, "It is a wonderful move by the Prime Minister himself, and the initiative taken forward by him is something that everyone should acknowledge. The need for women leaders in society today is vital for progress and development across all sectors. As a woman, I am very happy that such a step has come from my party. This is going to be historic--the first reservation Bill to be passed in the new Parliament. This will surely change India's future."

Vijayalaxmi expressed optimism that the bill would not only empower women in politics but also encourage their active participation in shaping policies and decision-making across the country.

PM Modi: Reservation 'Need of the Hour'

The Women's Reservation Bill, which proposes 33 per cent representation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, has been hailed by several leaders across party lines as a transformative move toward gender equality in India's legislative processes.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi higlighted that reservation for women in legislative bodies was the "need of the hour". He said that any delay in bringing this reservation will be "deeply unfortunate".

"Reservation for women in legislative bodies is the need of the hour! This will make our democracy even more vibrant and participative. Any delay in bringing this reservation will be deeply unfortunate. Expressed my thoughts on the issue in this Op-Ed," PM Modi posted on X.

The PM's remarks come as the Union cabinet on Thursday approved a draft amendment bill to the Women's Reservation Act that will ensure its implementation in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The amendment bill guarantees 33 per cent reservation in legislative bodies to women.

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

The Prime Minister also shared an open editorial on the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, in which he emphasised the "vast" contribution of women in nation-building and commended their achievements across every field in the present time.

PM Modi further noted that greater access to education, improved healthcare, enhanced financial inclusion, and basic amenities have strengthened the foundations of women's participation in economic and social life.

"Women constitute nearly half of India's population. Their contributions to our nation are vast and invaluable. Today, India is witnessing remarkable achievements by women across every field. From science and technology to entrepreneurship, from sports to the armed forces and from music to the arts, women are at the forefront of India's progress. Over the years, sustained efforts have been made to create an enabling environment for women's empowerment. Greater access to education, improved healthcare, enhanced financial inclusion and better access to basic amenities have strengthened the foundations of women's participation in economic and social life," the Prime Minister wrote in his article.

He further highlighted the efforts made by the previous governments towards ensuring women's reservation, adding that it never "saw the light of day". He even considered the passage of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as one of the most special occasions of his life.

"It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly elections to the various states in the coming times are conducted with women's reservation in place. Over the decades, there have been repeated efforts to provide women with their rightful place in democratic institutions by the previous governments. Committees were made, bill drafts were introduced, but they never saw the light of day. But the broad consensus has remained that women's representation in legislative bodies has to increase. In September 2023, Parliament passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam with the same spirit of consensus. I consider it to be among the most special occasions of my life," PM Modi wrote in his editorial.

Opposition Demands Discussion

PM Modi's remarks come ahead of the special parliament session, set to commence from April 16, for discussion over the proposed amendment in Women's Reservation Act.

While the government has called a special parliament session to discuss the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill, the opposition parties have been constantly demanding an all-party meeting before the session.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday called for an all-party meeting and urged the government to discuss whatever proposal it has regarding the legislation. "Congress has told the government to call an All-Party meeting and discuss whatever proposal it has. It should stop divide and rule politics," Ramesh, General Secretary incharge of Communications, told ANI.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, introduces a historic 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha. The legislation rotationally reserves one-third of all seats for women in the Lower House of Parliament, Lok Sabha, and in all State Legislative Assemblies, including the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, thus institutionalising representation of women in politics at the highest levels of public decision-making.

The act was enacted in September 2023, which sought to enhance women's participation in politics and included specific quotas for SC/ST women within the reserved seats. The Parliament passed the act, marking a historic milestone in its national journey to foster equitable representation of women in public life at all levels of the federal structure. (ANI)

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

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