Special Parliament Session: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha Adjourned Sine Die

On Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s question about when the women’s reservation bill will be implemented, union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said not to doubt the central government’s imtentions about implementation. “…Do not doubt (about implementation)… Modi hai toh mumkin hai,” he said. ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said all members and political parties have played a significant role in empowering women and enhancing ‘nari shakti’. He thanked every leader present in the House for the detailed discussion on the women’s reservation bill in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, a day after it was cleared in Lok Sabha. “There has been a detailed discussion on the bill. I thank every leader present in the House for the discussion on the Bill. This will lead to a new confidence in the people of the country. All members and political parties have played a significant role in empowering women and enhancing ‘nari shakti’. Let us give the country a strong message,” he added.

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said he supports the women’s reservation bill with all his heart and so do the parties in the opposition alliance. “I stand in support of this Bill. My party and INDIA parties wholeheartedly support this Bill…” he said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. During the debate, Kharge demanded that the central government must give a definite date for implementation of the bill if it is committed to the cause. “This govt must also give a definite date for implementation. Their members have said they do not lack commitment. Agar commitment hai toh aap bataiye kab implement hoga, nahin toh yeh sirf jumla hoga… JP Nadda was taunting us about our demand for more OBC representation among government secretaries. Do you have people from SC and ST communities in principal or joint secretary posts? Sab RSS ke logon ko wahan laake bhar diya hai inhone. Har minister ke paas ek aadmi baitha rehta hai RSS ka…” he added. ANI

Union minister Smriti Irani told CNN-News18 that this is a great day for women and some were waiting for this decision for the past 27 years. “India has been waiting for this for decades. There has been a deliberate attempt by the Congress not to pass this bill in 2010 and, even now, the opposition is trying to mislead the nation about it,” she said. The minister further said the opposition stands exposed and the Congress is making a deliberate attempt to create a constitutional anomaly. “This bill defines the constitutional procedure for reservation and, that is why, there was deliberate attempt by Congress party to ensure bill does not pass in Lok Sabha when the Congress had numbers in the Lok Sabha from 2010 to 2014 and, today, there was a deliberate attempt from their side to create a constitution anomaly by demanding things that the Constitution doesn’t permit,” she added.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday called the women’s reservation bill an “article of faith for the prime minister”. She said BJP national president JP Nadda has clearly explained that the party does not indulge in appeasement politics, but this bill is important for restoring the rights of women. “…In women-related matters…we do not play any politics. It is an article of faith for the prime minister and, therefore, we do everything that we have done whether it is Article 370, triple talaq, or now the women’s reservation bill,” she said in Rajya Sabha.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday gave credit to the PV Narasimha Rao-led government for bringing in 33% reservation for women in the panchayati raj system. She said this had empowered rural women, bringing about a groundswell at the panchayat level due to which some states had increased this reservation to 50%. “I want to credit former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao’s government for having brought in 33% reservation in the panchayat raj at that time. As a result, we have seen a groundswell at the panchayat level, where 33% reservation today, by many states has been increased to 50%… showing contribution of women at the panchayat level,” she said in Rajya Sabha, where the women’s reservation bill was introduced a day after it was cleared in Lok Sabha by an overwhelming majority.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday explained the conditions that have to be fulfilled before the women’s reservation in parliament and state assemblies can be implemented, which will be inserted as a new article — 334A — into the Constitution. “As far as the implementation of the proposed reservation for women… After the Bill is enacted and after the Bill comes into operation…Whenever the first census takes place and the relevant figures for that census are published, a fresh delimitation exercise shall be undertaken…” said Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha, where the bill was introduced a day after it was passed in Lok Sabha. After the Bill is passed by the parliament and signed by the President, it will become an Act; but there are two major caveats. These, as explained by the minister, are that a census has to be held, and only after that can the redrawing of constituencies take place, which is called delimitation. Both conditions are so far unfulfilled and can take years.

According to sources quoted by news agency ANI, Congress MPs Naseer Hussain, Neeraj Dangi, Amee Yajnik, Ranjeet Ranjan, Rajani Patil, Phulo Devi Netam, Rajmani Patel, Jebi Mather, Dr L Hanumanthaiah have moved amendments for OBC quota for women within the 33% reservation and also for immediate implementation of the bill in the present setup of seats. The amendments moved by the Congress could be a test for the INDIA bloc as some of the alliance partners have also demanded OBC quota. It remains to be seen if they will support these amendments as this could be a floor management test for the Congress, which is the prime mover in the formation of the new opposition front. If, however, these amendments are not supported by the INDIA front in the House, it will speak volumes about the unity within the alliance and an apparent case of division.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the women’s reservation bill was former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s dream and it will now be accomplished after 22 years of continuous efforts of Sonia Gandhi. “Yesterday, Sonia Gandhi said this was the dream of Rajiv Gandhi… We are happy that his dream is going to be accomplished now after the continuous effort of Sonia Gandhi for 22 years… If you give importance to the women in India, it’s a revolutionary step,” he said. ANI

Haryana CM ML Khattar on Thursday said the opposition regrets that it could not bring the women’s reservation bill and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has managed to do so. “A historic task has been done. They (the opposition) regret that it wasn’t done by them but PM (Narendra) Modi. The women of the country are happy,” he said. ANI

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday no one should criticise the women’s reservation bill and everyone must support it. “No one should criticise the women’s reservation bill. Everyone must support it… If Congress cannot bring the bill and if the BJP under the leadership of PM (Narendra) Modi has the courage to bring the bill, let’s celebrate it,” he said. ANI

SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Thursday said there is a flaw in the central government’s intentions even though his party welcomes the women’s reservation bill. He questioned as to why it did not include quota for baclward classes. “We also welcome the women’s reservation bill but here, too, there is a flaw in the government’s intentions… There should be reservation for women from backward classes… this Bill will only get implemented after the delimitation and census… they (BJP) want advantage in the upcoming elections…” he said. ANI

BJP MP and West Bengal unit chief Dr Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday hailed the women’s reservation bill and said it will enable women’s participation will increase in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. “…This time period will be known for its historic works… Women will get rights, and their participation will increase in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha…” he said. ANI

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda said he will be moving an amendment, which will enable women’s reservation to be implemented in 2024. “…I am moving an amendment today. If it gets implemented, there will be a draw on 545 seats, and reservation can be implemented in 2024. We will appeal to the government to agree to this amendment,” he said. ANI

Responding to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s favourable statement on women’s reservation, the opposition BJP said he was “trained under Atal ji (former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee)”. Leader of opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha said the CM respected women and had done a lot for women empowerment alongside the BJP. “…The chief minister (Nitish Kumar) was trained under Atal Ji… He has respect for women and has done empowerment of women along with the BJP in Bihar… I would like to thank all the parties who strengthened the women’s reservation bill… The prime minister (Narendra Modi) has created history…” he added. ANI

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the women’s reservation bill was overall a good move despite the fact that there will be some delay in its implementation. He, however, questioned as to why the the central government is delaying the census for the first time since it began in 1931. “Why are they delaying it (census) so much. It could have been implemented immediately. Why do we need to wait till 2024? What’s the problem, it should have been done immediately. It was happening every 10 years. It started in 1931, and this is the first time it has been delayed. This is not good… But this (women’s reservation) is nice, there will be some delay in the implementation but it will be good for women whenever it gets implemented,” he said. ANI

TMC MP Dola Sen on Thursday said the party will welcome the women’s reservation bill if the BJP government at the Centre implements it. “You must have seen how the decision on NPR, NRC, and CAA happened. How the decision on the farmers’ bill happened you had seen… For the first time in the history of Parliament… I was suspended… We will welcome it if they implement it…” she said. ANI

AIADMK leader M Thambi Durai on Thursday said the introduction of the women’s reservation bill was a happy occasion for him as he was the one who had introduced it when he was the law minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led central government. “This is a historic bill. In 1998-99, I was the law minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. I introduced the bill at that time. It is a very happy occasion for me and the AIADMK party… Now the (Narendra) Modi government has brought this bill… AIADMK will support this bill,” he said. ANI