Women want to be respected as equals, not put on pedestal: DMK’s Kanimozhi in Lok Sabha

New Delhi [India], September 20 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi on Wednesday took a jibe at the constitutional amendment bill known as ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ stating that women want to be respected rather being worshipped or saluted.
"This bill is called the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill. Stop saluting us. We do not want to be saluted, we do not want to be put on a pedestal. We don’t want to be worshipped, we don’t want to be called as mothers, We don’t want to be called your sister or wife, we want to be respected as equals. Let us get down from the pedestal and walk as equals,” said Kanimozhi in Lok Sabha.
As she began her address in the lower house on the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023, Kanimozhi alleged that she was being heckled by BJP MPs.
She further said, “We have the right to this country. This country belongs to us. This Parliament belongs to us. And we have the right to be here.”
The DMK MP further quoting former Union Minister Arun Jaitley said that ‘politics of tokenism must evolve into politics of ideas’.
“I like to quote Arun Jaitley when the discussion happened in Rajya Sabha back in the day. He said that the argument men can also ensure justice for women has been weakened until representation and discrimination stare us in the face. The politics of tokenism must now evolve into the politics of ideas. So please stop tokenism,” Kanimozhi said.
"It took 13 years to introduce the Bill into the House," she said adding, "How long should we wait for its implementation?"
The Thoothukudi MP in her address also praised women leaders across the country including West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the late AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati.
The DMK MP alleged that the Bill was brought in shrouded in secrecy.
"I myself have raised this issue of bringing the Reservation Bill many times in Parliament. To many of my starred and unstarred questions, the Government's reply was very consistent. They said that they have to involve all stakeholders, political parties and then build a consensus before bringing the Bill,” Kanimozhi said.
She further added, “I would like to know what consensus was built. What discussions were held? This Bill was brought shrouded in secrecy. We did not know what this session was called for.”
As the proceedings of the Lok Sabha commenced today on the third day of the special session of Parliament, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi began the discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha.
Extending her support to the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023’ Bill, Sonia Gandhi demanded its immediate implementation. She said that a delay in implementing the bill is a gross unfairness to the women of the country.
The Congress leader also demanded conducting a caste census to ensure the participation of women belonging to Other Backward Class/Scheduled Caste (OBC/SC) communities.
Ahead of her speech in Lok Sabha Sonia Gandhi said, “It was Rajiv ji's (Gandhi's) dream (Bill).”
Discussion for passing of the Bill in the House began today at 11 with Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introducing the amendments in the Bill.
The Bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on September 21, government sources said.