Why was Women's Reservation Bill not passed during Congress' rule: Anurag Thakur
Oct 16, 2023
Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 16 : Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday took a jibe at the Congress party over their claim that the Women's Reservation Bill was finally passed due to Congress's efforts, questioning why didn't the party that ruled the country for more than 60 years get it passed during its rule?
"The political party that ruled the country for 60 to 75 years and did not get the Women's Reservation Bill approved... What was the compulsion, and why did they not get it passed? The Congress Party works to mislead the country. The country should be aware of the lies of the Congress," he said.
Anurag Thakur's statement came on the heel of block-level 'Amrit Kalash Yatra' organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Under the 'Meri Mati, Mera Desh' Campaign.
Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, speaking at DMK's Women's Rights Conference in Chennai on Saturday, said, "Women's Reservation Bill was a vital step towards the reservation of a similar one-third of seats in the legislative bodies that the Congress pioneered in Parliament and outside."
"Now the Women's Reservation Bill has finally been passed due to our relentless persistence and efforts--of all of us, not just the Congress. However, as we all know, there is still a long way to go," she added.
The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhniyam', which provides 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha as well as the state legislative assemblies, was unanimously passed by the Rajya Sabha, becoming the first bill to be passed in the new Parliament building.
On September 20, the Bill was passed following division with 454 members voting in favour of the legislation and two against it on the motion seeking its passage.
The amendments moved by the Opposition members were negatived and separate clauses of the draft legislation were also voted on.
On September 21, Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was 'unanimously' passed in Rajya Sabha which marks the PM's birthday according to the Hindu calendar.
