25 years on, Bill seeking 33% women in Parl awaits approval
DURING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL, THE UPPER HOUSE WITNESSED A BEDLAM; SP MEMBERS ATTEMPTED TO SNATCH AND SHRED IT, BEFORE IT COULD EVEN BE DISCUSSED
NEW DELHI: Over a decade ago, former Union minister Kumari Selja found herself at the side of late law minister HR Bhardwaj, who was set to introduce the “new and improved” Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2008.
The bill sought 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state legislative assemblies, and promised quota for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes within the ambit of the umbrella legislation.
But, during the introduction of the bill, the Upper House witnessed a bedlam. Samajwadi Party members attempted to snatch and shred it, before it could even be discussed, with Selja had to protect both Bhardwaj and the bill.
“Ambika Soni (former Congress Union minister) and I were on either side of Bhardwaj as those from the opposition and even some of our allies were up in arms against the Bill,” said Selja, the current Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president.
The women, including Renuka Chowdhury, Jayanti Natarajan and Alka Balram Kshatriya, formed a ring around Bhardwaj to ensure the passage of the bill. It was eventually passed by the RS in 2010, but lapsed with the 15th Lok Sabha.
This was the fourth time the Bill was introduced in Parliament and failed to get through.
On Sunday, it will be 25 years since the first time the bill was introduced in Parliament.
According to PRS Legislative Research, a non-profit legislative watchdog, “There are 78 women MPS in Lok Sabha today. This is the highest number in the history of the House. The first LS only had 24 women members.”
BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi said the need for women’s reservation was unnecessary. “The BJP rewards people on merit, irrespective of whether it is men or women,” she said.
Opposition, however, attacked the BJP and its political ideologue Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “BJP and RSS ideology is against women… They do tokenism, which is counterproductive to women empowerment,” said TMC leader Sushmita Dev.