Women demand introduction of Women Reservation Bill

WOMEN QUOTA: The bill was first tabled in parliament in September 1996.

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Keywords: Legislature , PM

New Delhi: Activists of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) staged a protest today outside Parliament demanding fast introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill.

Led by former MP Subhashini Ali, the demonstrators gathered near Vijay Chowk just outside Parliament and raised slogans. Some of them were manhandled by police women and pushed behind the steel barricades set up for the event.

"It is a strange paradox that though there seems to be no majority on the nuclear deal, still the government is keen to go ahead with it. But even with so many parties favouring the Women's Reservation Bill, it is not being introduced in Parliament," Ali told reporters.

She added that the government should introduce the Bill "as early as possible".

“Women had no place in Parliament, that is why we gathered outside it to raise the issue and we have every right to do so, ”Ali added.

Earlier, the Prime Minister had told a Communist Party of India (CPI) delegation that his Government plans to introduce the Bill during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament and the Cabinet would finalise its modalities.

There are two options left before the Centre. The first one is to seek a 33.3 per cent reservation for women within the existing strength of the two houses of Parliament and the other is to increase the overall strength of Parliament by 33.3 percent.