During her address at the Women's rights conference organized by the ruling DMK, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi made it clear that the INDIA alliance is committed to championing the recent Women's Reservation Bill that was passed in Parliament.
Sonia Gandhi highlighted the pivotal role played by the late Rajiv Gandhi in introducing the historic 33 percent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj, the local self-governing body. This milestone initiative ushered in a transformative era of women's leadership at the grassroots level, empowering them to participate actively in the political landscape.
This move in Panchayati Raj was a significant precursor to the proposed reservation of one-third of seats for women in legislative bodies. The Congress took the lead in advocating for this policy both within and outside Parliament.
Sonia Gandhi acknowledged that the Women's Reservation Bill has finally passed, attributing this success to the relentless dedication and collective efforts of many, not solely the Congress. However, she cautioned that there is still a considerable distance to traverse to realize the full potential of this bill.
She recounted the debates within Parliament where opposition MPs voiced concerns about the practical implementation of the Bill. Questions arose about the timeline for its enforcement, and whether it would be achieved in one, two, or three years. The uncertainty surrounding the timeline is a cause for concern, especially among women.
Sonia Gandhi stressed that they, as women, are not content with the current situation. They are committed to pushing for the effective implementation of the Women's Reservation Act.
The Women's Reservation Bill, originally introduced during the UPA-II government, was successfully passed in the Rajya Sabha. However, it faced an impasse in the Lok Sabha due to a lack of consensus. This event serves as a backdrop to the ongoing efforts to make this bill a reality.
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