Women’s Reservation Bill
Kolkata, April 9: Former Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Thursday accused the Opposition parties, particularly the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, of not supporting the discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill during the three-day extended Budget session. She highlighted that this is despite the fact that both parties are being led by female leaders.
Notably, the Congress has MPs Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as its top leaders, whereas West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the Trinamool Congress supremo.
Speaking to IANS while campaigning in Rajarhat, Irani said, “The UPA-led government has never politically empowered the strength of women. If they wanted, they could have passed the Bill in both Houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) when they were in power.”
She also reacted to the Opposition’s objection to the three-day extension of the Budget session that will primarily focus on discussing and debating the proposed amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act.
“It is hilarious that both (Trinamool Congress and Congress) are being led by women…my party, despite being led by a man, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has brought and passed this Bill in both Houses while being in power,” she said.
Flagging the issue of illegal infiltration, which has also been repeatedly raised by other BJP leaders, Irani said, “The Trinamool party depends on infiltrators to stay in power, so it is scared and confused now because the central government has launched a drive against illegal infiltration.”
She also alleged that the mother of the trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was “insulted”.
“It is painful that the mother of the RG Kar victim has expressed that she was insulted by the Trinamool Congress goons,” she said.
Significantly, the victim’s mother, Ratna Debnath, on Thursday filed her nomination as a BJP candidate from Panihati Assembly constituency.
Further, Irani questioned the women leaders of the Trinamool Congress regarding her allegation.
“I want to ask the female leaders of Trinamool Congress, when a mother, who has lost her daughter and is still awaiting justice, wants to exercise her democratic right, why is she being subjected to insults by such goons?”
Moreover, she accused CM Banerjee of not extending her support to the victim. “Mamata Banerjee did not go to the victim. According to the public information, she supported those who victimised (the trainee doctor) and removed evidence in the RG Kar victim’s case,” Irani alleged.
PM Modi on Thursday said that the proposed amendments to the Women Reservation Act are not just a legislative exercise but a reflection of the aspirations of crores of women across India and urged all MPs to come together to support this significant move.
In a signed article posted on his website narendramodi.in, the prime minister also said that the initiative is an affirmation of a principle that has long guided India’s civilisational ethos that society progresses when women progress.
He said 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. (Agencies)
