DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 27 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has condemned the ‘Jumlabaazi’ tactics of the BJP and urged the Modi government to implement the Women's Reservation Bill, with provisions for sub-reservations of not just the SCs and ST but the OBC community, and at least for once be on the right side of history.
In a press statement, the NPCC communications department termed BJP's contention that the Women's Reservation Bill cannot be implemented till the completion of the Caste Census and Delimitation Exercise as just another one of their well orchestrated ‘Jumla’ to fool the Nation. If this is the case, then be rest assured that the Bill will not be implemented for the next 10 years, at the least, it stated.
The NPCC maintained that the Congress party, since its inception has unequivocally and consistently advocated for the rights of the women of our country.
In this connection, the Congress have reiterated time and again that the passage and implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill (which envisages 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies) is the central missing piece of intervention towards the efforts aimed at achieving the long standing goal for the empowerment of the women of India.
The fact that the Constitution Amendment Bill (aiming at providing one-third reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies), a precursor to the said Bill, was introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha way back in 1989, during the tenure of Prime Minister Lt. Rajiv Gandhiji, is a testimonial to this belief system. While the bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha then, Late PM Narasimha Rao in 1992 - 93 reintroduced the bill and was passed in both the houses of Parliament, it claimed.
Successive union governments since then, up till the UPA tenure, have attempted to pass the Women Reservation’s Bill without success mainly due to the constraints of coalition politics, it added.
Stating that the number dynamics changed with the induction of the Modi govt, the NPCC said despite enjoying brute majority, coupled with the offer of unconditional support from the Congress party if and when they decide to table the bill, the Modi govt had not taken the initiative, thereby losing the chance of correcting a historical wrong perpetrated against the womenfolk of our nation.
It was against this backdrop that the Congress leaders entered the floor of Parliament when the BJP called for a special session for discussion of the women's Reservation Bill, hoping against conventional wisdom that the Modi government has finally found the moral currency to pass and implement the Bill, and do right by the women of India.
However, what transpired during the discussion was the unfolding of yet another trademark event management theatrics of the BJP, insulting not just the collective intelligence of the August House, but putting salt to injury of the women of our country, the NPCC stated.
