Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his comments explaining the justification for the creation of a Delimitation Committee amid calls from the Opposition to implement the draft women’s quota law as soon as possible, calling them “hypocritical” in light of the fact that a Bill that had been in limbo for a while took nine years to pass the first legislative hurdle in Parliament after being promised in the BJP’s.
Chaturvedi said in an interview with ANI that Amit Shah’s statement was hypocritical because the BJP pledged to women in its manifesto for the 2014 (Lok Sabha) elections to bring a women’s reservation law, which was passed by a landslide majority in the Lok Sabha. It took the BJP 9 years to pass the Bill, despite them being the biggest party overall (in the LS elections of 2014 and 2019) and having strong support from many in the Opposition. The (controversial) provision that the application of the legislation is contingent upon a census and a delimitation exercise further contributed to its hypocritical nature. Since 2021, the census has been postponed.
The census and delimitation processes would be done after the Lok Sabha elections next year, and the women’s quota legislation will then go into force, Shah said earlier on Wednesday during the Lok Sabha discussion on the women’s reservation Bill.
“The census and delimitation exercises will be conducted soon after the (next general) elections and women will have a greater voice in the Parliament,” the Union Home Minister said.
The census, which has been postponed since 2021, is not likely to happen this year either, Chaturvedi said in a further jab at the BJP over the women’s quota Bill. I have a feeling that the delimitation won’t happen until 2029. After then, things can pick in speed because a new census is predicted for 2031. To entice female votes, they are only using the Bill as a bait. The ladies, however, will see their ruse and give them a lesson (in 2024),” the Sena (UBT) MP said.
As part of the present Special Session of Parliament’s legislative agenda, the women’s reservation Bill, which aims to guarantee a 33% quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures, was tabled in the lower House on Wednesday.
The women’s reservation Bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Monday, clearing the way for its introduction into Parliament.
During the inaugural Lok Sabha session held in the new Parliament building on Tuesday, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal presented the Bill. ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ was the name of it.
The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha by the Manmohan Singh-led UPA administration in 2008, and it was approved by the Upper House in 2010. However, the Lower House did not take up the Bill for debate or passage.
Regarding the current diplomatic dispute between India and Canada over claims that “Indian agents” were responsible for the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the MP called the allegations made by the Canadian government “baseless”.
“The escalation from Canada, which completely disregarded our worries about rising anti-Indian sentiment in the nation, is regrettable. It is inappropriate for the Canadian Prime Minister to escalate the situation by mentioning India by name and making unfounded accusations. It works against preserving international security. Senior members of the Canadian Cabinet have criticized India in their statements. India sends the most international students to Canada. Concern should be expressed about such careless remarks made by their top executives. It is odd that other G20 members haven’t condemned Canada for its careless actions, she said.