“Despite political parties supporting the Women’s Reservation Bill, it has not been possible to pass it in Parliament. Even though the top leadership in parties may think that this Bill should become a law, the second-rung leaders oppose it. Sharing of power is not a simple thing,” said Kanimozhi, DMK MP from Thoothukudi, at a discussion on Women’s Reservation Bill organised by Shakthi: Political power to women and the National Alliance for Women’s Reservation Bill at Loyola College on Saturday.
The Members of Parliament — Ms. Kanimozhi, Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Congress MP Jayakumar and VCK MP D. Ravi Kumar — were urged to exert pressure on the government to table the Bill in the first session of Parliament.
Ms. Kanimozhi said the National Democratic Alliance, led by BJP, had not included the Women’s Reservation Bill in the list of business in the Lok Sabha even once despite the BJP including women’s reservation in its election manifesto. “We need at least 30% to bring forth a change in perception,” said Ms. Kanimozhi.
Pointing out that Tamil Nadu was the first state to extend ‘Right to Vote’ to women in 1920s, Ms. Thangapandian lamented that the Women’s Reservation Bill has been pending for a long time. VCK general secretary and Villupuram MP D. Ravi Kumar said that hardships faced by Dalits and women are similar.