The passage of women’s reservation bill will mark the start of a new era in the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday as he appealed to the opposition parties to pass the bill unanimously.
Participating in a debate on the bill in Lok Sabha, Shah sought to allay apprehension of a delay in the implementation of the bill, saying the next government will conduct the census and the delimitation exercise immediately after the elections and set in motion the process to make reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies a reality.
"If we are reserving one-third seats, then who will do it? If we do it, you will question it. Therefore the Delimitation Commission should do it. The idea is to ensure transparency," Shah said, adding that the delimitation commission is an important body for poll process in the country.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had questioned the idea that the bill can be implemented only after the new census and delimitation process are over. “This bill can be implemented today,” Gandhi had said during the debate in the lower house.
Shah also lambasted parties which do not support the bill since it lacks quota for OBC and Muslim women.
"Some people on social media are saying that this bill should not be supported as there is no reservation of OBC and Muslims. If you don’t support this bill, will reservation happen sooner? If you support this bill, then will at least be guarantee…," the home minister said.
Shah asserted that women empowerment is an issue of “principles and beliefs” for the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Women's security, respect and equal participation have been the life force of the government since Modi took the oath of office, he said.
“For some parties, the issue of women empowerment can be a political agenda or a slogan to win elections. However, for my party and my leader Narendra Modi, women empowerment is not a political issue, but it is a matter of principles and beliefs,” Shah said.
“The women’s reservation bill is a mark of respect and the beginning of a new era,” the minister added.
Shah further noted that Prime Minister Modi presented a vision of women-led progress at the recently concluded G-20 session.
The bill, named as Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam, seeks reservation of 33 per cent seats for women in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. It mandates that one third of the total seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be allocated for women from those groups.
As per the bill, the reservation of seats for women will cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of the Amendment Act.
