Former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Congress will support the Women’s Reservation Bill. Initiating the debate on the bill on Day 3 of the special session of the Parliament, she said the Women’s Reservation Bill was first brought by her husband and late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during his tenure.
The Congress leader said Rajiv Gandhi’s dream would be fulfilled if the bill gets passed in the House. On behalf of the Congress party, I stand in support of the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023’ (Women’s Reservation Bill)… It is a very touching moment in my life. The first time, the Constitutional Amendment determining women’s participation in local bodies was brought by my life partner Rajiv Gandhi.”
“It was defeated in Rajya Sabha by 7 votes,” she added.
“Later, the Congress government, under the leadership of PM PV Narasimha Rao, passed it in Rajya Sabha. As a result, we have 15 lakh elected women leaders across the country through local bodies. Rajiv Gandhi’s dream is only partially complete. It will complete with the passing of this Bill,” Gandhi said in her speech.
Gandhi further said the caste census was required for better implementation of the bill and that SCs and OBCs should be included in the Women’s Reservation Bill.
“We are happy with the passage of this Bill but at the same time, we are concerned too. Women have been already waiting for this for the past 13 years and now they have been asked to wait for more years. The Congress demands that the Bill is enforced immediately, and along with that, arrangements be made for reservations to women from SC, ST, and OBC communities by holding a caste census,” she said.
