Women’s Reservation Bill Passed in the Lok Sabha with 454 votes in favor of it. Here’s who said what –

‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ or the Women’s Reservation bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha and it is a step closer to being a law with 454 votes in favor of it, and 2 against it on Wednesday. The bill seeks to reserve 33% of Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly seats for women. Here is who said what in the debate over the bill –

“The Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam will further strengthen our democracy… I assure all mothers, sisters and daughters of the nation that we are committed to making this Bill into a law. For that work of ensuring rights of women and putting their power to use and for many such noble works, God has chosen me. Once again, our government has taken a step in this direction. In the cabinet yesterday, the Women’s Reservation Bill was given approval”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his inaugural speech in the new Parliament building, advocating for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill on Tuesday.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi began the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill as the first speaker from 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?” asked Sonia Gandhi. Demanding the inclusion of OBCs and the speedy implementation of the bill, the Congress leader said, “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.”

"This country runs on the Constitution. They have been patting themselves on the back for introducing reservations for women in panchayats and local bodies. They never spoke about, or provided for OBC reservation. They are bringing up new things for political angles……The Prime Minister has been saying it is the right time and we are proud of him for calling this special session to table a bill that gives the due respect and reservation to the women of this country.”said BJP MP Nishikant Dubey taking a jibe at the statements made by Sonia Gandhi.

Calling it a ‘gimmick’, TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said, “"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.” She further highlighted the plight of the women’s wrestlers and the women of the country at large she stated that the BJP government has failed to demonstrate "genuine respect for women” and said, "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.” 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.

“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 TMC MP Mahua Moitra. She further hit back at the ruling government for the lapses in the bill. “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.”she added.

Applauding the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani said, "If we look from the perspective of the dignity of the Constitution, then Goddess Lakshmi has taken a Constitutional form through this Bill." Taking a swipe at the Congress Irani said, “When this bill was brought, some people said that it is "our bill"...UPA chairman Sonia Gandhi in an article of the proposed bill had said that "no seat shall be reserved for women for belonging to SC/ST in the third general elections.....But the bill brought by this government guarantees reservation to women till 15 years after the implementation of this bill...." Stating that the BJP government has successfully made the women of India count, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development said, "We have made women count. And it is time for you to step up in the opposition, and not mere reduce your words to paper, to speech, but speak with action and support Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam."

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi started his speech in the Lok Sabha by conveying his support for the Women’s Reservation Bill. "There is one thing that makes this Bill incomplete. I would have liked to see OBC reservation in this Bill. I think it is very important that a vast chunk of the population, a large chunk of women, should have access to this reservation. That is missing in this bill… "I was shocked and shattered...These three Secretaries together control just 5 per cent of the Indian budget. The Indian budget is Rs 44 lakh crore while these five Secretaries control just 2.47 lakh crore. You don't want to hear OBCs. You are against OBCs. You don't want to deliver justice to the OBCs. The Bill is about transfer of power. Women are one group, OBCs are another group. It is an insult to OBCs," said Rahul Gandhi demanding a new caste census for better representation of OBC community. Concluding his speech, Rahul Gandhi said that the Women’s Representation Bill must be implemented immediately, and that it does not require any census or delimitation.

“The passage of women's reservation bill will mark the start of a new era…Women's security, respect, and equal participation have been the life force of government since PM Modi took the oath of office…He also presented the vision of women-led progress in the G20.” said Amit Shah stating that this is one of the stepping stones for PM Modi’s vision of women led development. “Nation isn’t run by secretaries, rather Government runs the country. If he is interested in data, then let me tell him that 27% of our total MPs are from the OBC community and there are 29 ministers in our cabinet who are from the OBC community. It is BJP that has sent an OBC to the chair of the Prime Minister” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, hitting back at the statement made by Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.