“Bill was initiated by UPA”: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Women Reservation Bill

New Delhi [India]: After the Cabinet approved the Women Reservation Bill, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has said that demand for the Women Reservation Bill was initiated by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Sonia Gandhi.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told media “We want the Women’s Reservation Bill to be brought and passed as soon as possible. The demand for the Women’s Reservation Bill was initiated by UPA and our leader Sonia Gandhi. It took so long, but we will be happy if this is introduced.”

Union Cabinet on Monday cleared the Women’s Reservation Bill, sources said on Monday.
The meeting of the Union Cabinet was held at Parliament House Annexe in Delhi.

Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan has said that the BJP only remembered the Women Reservation Bill just before the elections.

“See, this is Congress’s bill. We introduced it on March 9, 2010. BJP has been in power for more than 9 years, why did you remember the women reservation bill just before the elections? If this bill comes on the table today, we will welcome it because everybody agrees that the participation of women in the House and the Legislative Assembly should increase,” Ranjeet Ranjan told media.

The Women’s Reservation Bill seeks to reserve 33 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. Despite being a crucial step towards gender parity and inclusive governance, the Bill has remained in legislative limbo for far too long.

Earlier today BJP IT Cell in-charge Amit Malviya took a jibe at the Congress for its claims that it was the prime mover behind the women’s reservation bill.

In a post on X where he reacted to a 2018 Post by Rahul Gandhi Malviya said ” Where was the Congress’s unconditional support when the Bill was first introduced in 1996 (as the 81st Amendment Bill) by PM HD Deve Gowda led Govt? In 1998 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee Govt introduced it, and then later in 1999, 2002 and then 2003? The Congress didn’t rise to the occasion, ever…” he said

“In 2008, when Congress led UPA was in power, Dr Manmohan Singh introduced the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, but never tabled it in the Lok Sabha… What did you do then, other than capitulate to allies RJD, JDU and the Samajwadi Party, who opposed the move vehemently? And today you are lecturing and offering unconditional support? Laughable” he added in the post.

After the bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Monday it is expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha during this special session.