The Opposition criticised the Centre over this provision and called the women’s reservation Bill is another ‘jumla’ by the BJP government and added that it is a ‘huge betrayal’ of Indian women.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also raised question over the implementation of the proposed law and said it is a way of ‘extracting political mileage’ by the BJP.
“They want to tell the people, especially women that they brought this landmark law into force. They should have done it in 2014. What is so historic about it? There has to be a census and delimitation before the women’s reservation Bill is implemented. What if census and delimitation don’t happen?” he asked earlier.
Responding to Sibal’s remark, Union minister Anurag Thakur alleged that Congress neither wanted to give reservations to women leaders in 2010 when it was in power and nor does it want to do so now.
“He was a minister then (in 2008 when a similar legislation was tabled under the UPA). He knew that the Congress was merely pretending to bring the law. The Bill was tabled in 2008 and the country went for general elections a year later. However, instead of passing it, the draft legislation was sent to the Standing Committee. They (Congress) did not intend to give reservations to women then and neither do they want it now,” Thakur told news agency ANI.