Congress president Rahul Gandhi has written to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, urging his government in the state to pass a resolution calling on the Centre to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill.
In the letter, Gandhi writes seeking passage of a resolution urging the central government to pass the bill, to the chief ministers of those states where the Congress is in power or in an alliance.
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In his letter to the Punjab CM, Gandhi noted that the Rajya Sabha passed the 108th constitutional amendment bill in 2010, but it lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha in 2014.
“The Congress and several parties have called on the prime minister to ensure the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill and pledged their support.
“The lack of adequate representation of women in our polity undermines our democracy and perpetuates existing systemic injustices. Women in institutions of local self-governance have not only been effective leaders, but also challenged traditional gender roles that curtailed their participation in public life,” Mr Gandhi said in the letter on Thursday.
“While the opponents of the bill have cast doubts on the ability of women to affect change, the leadership role taken by women after the 73rd and 73th constitutional amendments have proved the detractors wrong,” he said in his letter.
Earlier in July, Rahul had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to pass a bill promising 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha.
The Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha after completion of its term in 2014.
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