New Delhi: Two days ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday raked up the contentious issue of Women’s Reservation Bill, asking PM Narendra Modi to “walk his talk” by ensuring its passage and offered his party’s unconditional support. However, the BJP was quick to accuse the Opposition of adopting “double standard” on the matter.
However, the BJP was quick to accuse the opposition party of adopting “double standard” on the matter by siding with those who were opposed to the bill and asked if the Congress could assure support of its allies, in an apparent reference to parties like Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party.
The Rajya Sabha had passed the constitutional amendment bill on March 9, 2010 to facilitate reserving one-third of total seats in state assemblies and Parliament for women, but the Lok Sabha never voted on it and the proposed legislation lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha in 2014. “Our PM says he’s a crusader for women's empowerment? Time for him to rise above party politics, walk-his-talk & have the Women's Reservation Bill passed by Parliament. The Congress offers him its unconditional support,” Gandhi tweeted and attached a letter to Modi.
Rahul urged Modi to ensure that the Bill gets passed in the upcoming session itself so that women can participate “more meaningfully” in the state elections later this year and in the Lok Sabha polls next year. “Mr Prime Minister, in many of your public rallies you have spoken about your passion for empowering women and involving them more in public life,” he tweeted.
