NEW DELHI: Former Union minister and Congress MP Manish Tewari, who has supported PM Modi on several issues in the past, has accused the BJP government of not being serious about the Women’s Reservation Bill, despite introduction of the legislation in the parliament after 13 years.
“What I see is that the 128th Constitution Amendment Bill is a betrayal of the women’s movement. The cause 334 A of the Bill says that reservation will come into effect after the first census post the passage of the bill and the subsequent delimitation which would follow,” Tiwari told The New Indian.
EXCLUSIVE ON THE NEW INDIAN: Congress MP @ManishTewari says “If the government was serious about women’s reservation, they should have brought women’s reservation on the basis of parliamentary strength as it stands now” while speaking to The New Indian.
He said that there will… pic.twitter.com/LgC1y5SQuk
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) September 19, 2023
“This means that before 2029 there will be no women’s reservation. If the government was serious about women’s reservation, they should have brought women’s reservation on the basis of parliamentary strength as it stands now,” he added.
Tewari’s comments come amid a debate over who should get credit for the Women’s Reservation Bill. Congress MP Sonia Gandhi has also claimed credit for the bill, saying that it is “our own.”
He also took to Twitter to share his views on the bill. He said that the 128th Constitution Amendment Bill is a betrayal of the women’s movement and their struggle for greater democratic representation in law and policy making.
“Clause 334 -A of the bill says reservation would come into effect post the first census after the bill becomes law & the DELIMITATION based upon that Census,” he wrote.
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“It is instructive to note that the Census due in 2021 has still not been held. Earliest Women’s reservation will become a reality in Parliament & Legislative Assemblies will be 2029 or even later. BRING WOMEN’S RESERVATION NOW,” he further wrote.
Tiwari’s comments have sparked a debate on social media, with many users expressing their support for his views.
The Women’s Reservation Bill has been pending for over two decades.