Opposition questions the intent of the BJP government over the Women’s Representation Bill, “Is it like a gimmick, is it like pulling a rabbit from their hat and placing it before the country?” Questions TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam or the Women’s Reservation Bill that aims to secure 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies of the country has been put up for debate in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Several leaders of the Opposition have extended their support to the bill, however, they have questioned certain nuances of the bill. Moreover, all of them have demanded the speedy implementation of the bill, and have refuted the delayed timeline projected by the ruling BJP government.

Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi kickstarted the debate on behalf of the Opposition on Wednesday. “The Congress party supports the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. We will be happy if the bill is passed. But I want to ask, in the past 13 years, women have waited patiently for this bill. But now, our women have been asked to wait for some more years. How many years? 2, 3, 6, 8? How many years?” questioned Mrs Gandhi. She further demanded the inclusion of the OBCs and the speedy implementation of the bill. “We want this bill to be implemented immediately. However, in addition to this, SC, ST and OBC women should get reservations. Along with this, the caste census should also be conducted. Any further delay in implementing this bill will be an injustice to women. It must be implemented at the earliest,” she added.

Taking a swipe at the BJP Government, Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar called the BJP Government’s attitude towards this bill a ‘gimmick’, stating that it ‘is it like pulling a rabbit from their hat and placing it before the country.’ "Why was it not brought in 2014? What are they trying to prove to the people? Is it like a gimmick, is it like pulling a rabbit from their hat and placing it before the country? This government has raised many questions against themselves, why is the delimitation linked with the reservation? It is a sinister move and will have more members in parliament from states that have failed in population control and women's empowerment”, alleged Ms. Dastidar.

"The golden girls of the country who got us medals have been sexually harassed and they were at Jantar Mantar. But the perpetrator sits here today, Brij Bhushan Singh, who has not been brought to book. So if you are really interested in taking women towards betterment and progress, why don't you take action against the perpetrators? A little girl was stoned to death in Jammu and the wrestlers, like I said, have been manhandled and molested”, said TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar highlighting the plight of the wrestlers and the women of the country at large. She further alleged that the BJP government has failed to take steps against the perpetrators such as Brij Bhusan and the party does not demonstrate "genuine respect for women."

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar stated that the TMC wholeheartedly supports the bill and West Bengal is the only state that has already implemented 33% reservation for the women. "West Bengal is the only state in the country which has a female chief minister. The BJP has its governments in 16 states, but there are no women chief ministers there. In the Lok Sabha, right from 2014, we have been having more than 33% reservation within the party, so to say, without any forceful reservation being implemented through any parliamentary procedure or the election commission. At the moment, the Trinamool Congress has nearly 40% of women members, and also in the Rajya Sabha. This is what Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has done,” said the TMC MP.

Supriya Sule of the National Congress Party called the implementation of the bill ‘a postdated check given by the government.’ She hit back at the Union Government and questioned the timing and the implementation of the bill. The NCP leader alleged that the BJP leaders have passed derogatory comments centering on women in the past, and narrated her personal experience. "Nishikant Dubey said that INDIA is on the side of people who ran women down and spoke derogatorily... There was a Head of the BJP in Maharashtra. He told me personally on record on television - 'Supriya Sule ghar jaao, khana banao, desh koi aur chala lega. Hum log chalayenge.' (Supriyo Sule go home, cook food, somebody else will run the country. We will run the country.) This is what the BJP's mindset is," she said, questioning the stance of BJP leaders in the Lok Sabha.

Calling it a ‘jumla’, TMC MP Mahua Moitra launched a scathing attack on the ruling BJP Government. “The bill will be implemented after delimitation. Delimitation will take place after the next census. The date of the next census and delimitation is indeterminate. The bill is dependent on two indeterminate dates. Can there be a greater Jumla? Forget 2024. This may not even be possible in 2029.” said the TMC MP. Questioning the intent of the ruling government and demanding immediate implementation, Mahua Moitra said, “When this government wanted to protect cows, they did not count the cows, they built cowsheds. Why do you need to do a census to have reservations for women? Implement the bill immediately. Do not wait for delimitation. Send 33% candidates to the parliament immediately.”

The Women's Reservation Bill seeks to reserve 33% of Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly seats for women. This reservation will be in effect for 15 years after the bill is signed into law, and the reserved seats will be rotated after each delimitation exercise. One-third of the 181 reserved seats will be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It is worth noting that the bill makes no provision for Other Backward Classes. As per the specifications of the legislation, the bill will come into effect after the first delimitation or redrawing of seats, which is expected to take place in 2027.​