Demand for Immediate Women's Reservation Implementation Intensifies

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad on Tuesday urged immediate implementation of the 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, criticizing the delay linked to delimitation. She emphasized that the women's reservation bill, passed in 2023, could have significantly increased women MPs in the Lok Sabha if implemented sooner.

Gaikwad accused the Narendra Modi-led Union government of using the women's bill as a shield without actual implementation. She also highlighted the delay in the approval of the Shakti bill, designed to enhance women's safety, which has been pending with the President for nearly three years.

Addressing fund allocation, Gaikwad alleged discrimination, noting that ruling party corporators in Mumbai receive significantly more funds than opposition ones, affecting women corporators. She questioned the action against crimes targeting women and referenced the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to implement women's quota.

(With inputs from agencies.)