New Delhi, June 24: The All India Democratic Women’s Association(AIDWA) has issued the following statement:
AIDWA would like to express its deep disappointment that once again, the UPA-2 has failed to ensure introduction of the 33% Women’s Reservation Bill in the forthcoming session of the Lok Sabha. It is now a year and three months since the Women’s Bill was placed and passed in the Rajya Sabha on March 9th 2010. The Lok Sabha Speaker’s half hearted initiative of calling for an all party meeting without taking any firm position to move the agenda forward obviously did nothing to break the existing impasse. The BJP too has reiterated the need for a consensus, despite being aware that such a consensus does not exist, and there are many Bills that get passed nevertheless.
The lack of political will displayed by the UPA-2 is an anti democratic act. The latest round of Assembly elections, in which less than 10% women have been elected to the State legislatures, proves that the Bill is essential for women to have adequate representation in the topmost decision making bodies.
It is high time that these repeated charades are stopped. Instead, we demand that the UPA-2 should fulfil its promise made to the women of this country, and introduce the Bill in the Lok Sabha as it is, to facilitate its passage. Members of the House who disagree may surely be given a chance to put their views across, be allowed to press for amendments, or be allowed to even walk out, if they wish. This would be the proper, democratic course of action.
INN
AIDWA would like to express its deep disappointment that once again, the UPA-2 has failed to ensure introduction of the 33% Women’s Reservation Bill in the forthcoming session of the Lok Sabha. It is now a year and three months since the Women’s Bill was placed and passed in the Rajya Sabha on March 9th 2010. The Lok Sabha Speaker’s half hearted initiative of calling for an all party meeting without taking any firm position to move the agenda forward obviously did nothing to break the existing impasse. The BJP too has reiterated the need for a consensus, despite being aware that such a consensus does not exist, and there are many Bills that get passed nevertheless.
The lack of political will displayed by the UPA-2 is an anti democratic act. The latest round of Assembly elections, in which less than 10% women have been elected to the State legislatures, proves that the Bill is essential for women to have adequate representation in the topmost decision making bodies.
It is high time that these repeated charades are stopped. Instead, we demand that the UPA-2 should fulfil its promise made to the women of this country, and introduce the Bill in the Lok Sabha as it is, to facilitate its passage. Members of the House who disagree may surely be given a chance to put their views across, be allowed to press for amendments, or be allowed to even walk out, if they wish. This would be the proper, democratic course of action.
INN
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