JEYPORE (Odisha), Mar 8: Reaching out to the huge
constituency of women voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls,
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Friday promised passage of the
Women’s Reservation Bill, in limbo for the last nine years
since being cleared by the Rajya Sabha, if his party is voted
to power.
Interacting with women on the International Women’s
Day, Gandhi exhorted them to fight for “space” in every sphere
of life as the country cannot progress without their effective
and equal participation.
“You must fight for your space and don’t consider
yourself lesser than a man. Women should fight for due place –
be it the Assembly, Lok Sabha or the business field,” he said
responding to a query by a woman delegate at the conclave.
He also asked men to work towards securing for women
their due place in society.
“There is an urgent need to provide reservation for
women in state assemblies and Lok Sabha to ensure their
empowerment. Congress is keen to ensure this and will do it if
it voted to power,” Gandhi said, calling Women’s Reservation
Bill an effective instrument for their empowerment.
The 108th Constitution (amendment) Bill, which
envisages 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and
state assemblies, was brought by the then UPA government in
2008 and passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010.
Its passage was one of the promises made by the BJP in
its election manifesto for the 2014 general elections. Apart
from the BJP and the Congress, several parties including the
Left, NCP, AIADMK and DMK have backed the legislation but a
law for women’s reservation in these bodies remains as elusive
as ever.
Gandhi said women should participate more and more in
politics, and referred to how they had benefited from quotas
in panchayati raj institutions in some states.
The Congress president, whose party has been relegated
to the margins in Odisha politics, deplored that there were
only two women ministers in the state.
When a delegate raised the issue of alleged rape of a
woman by a BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi was quick to claim
the prime minister had remained silent on the issue.
He said the Congress wanted a policy of “zero
tolerance” to incidents of atrocities on women.
“In case of rape and atrocities on women, the prime
minister and chief ministers must make thier views clear. If
Congress comes to power, our approach will be zero tolerance
towards atrocities against women. They should get speedy
justice,” he said.
The Congress leader claimed though eight women were
raped in Odisha on an average every day, only seven accused
were convicted in a year because of alleged lack of concern of
the government.
Gandhi promised that if Congress was voted to power in
Odisha, its government will provide for free education for
women at all levels, including in medical and engineering
colleges.
“All women, particularly tribals, dalits and those
belonging to backward categories should get free education to
ensure they are truly empowered,” Gandhi added.
Assembly elections in Odisha are to be held with Lok
Sabha polls.
He said revenue generated from the mining sector will
be utilised for health and education.
Replying to a question on growing unemployment, Gandhi
said the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) plant at Sunebada
in Odisha’s Koraput district could have created many job
opportunities if the public sector undertaking had bagged the
Rafale fighter jet deal. (PTI)
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