UP Congress women activists meet Sonia Gandhi over Women’s Reservation Bill
By ANIFriday, March 12, 2010
NEW DELHI - Hailing Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s efforts in paving the way for the Women’s Reservation Bill, a group of women Congress activists from Uttar Pradesh met the UPA chairperson at her residence in New Delhi on Friday.
Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on Tuesday but some regional parties have opposed it by saying that the Bill doesn’t provide reservation for minorities and women of lower castes.
Party’s state unit chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi slammed regional parties for opposing the Bill and asked for Sonia Gandhi’s intervention.
“Those who are opposing it are anti-women, anti-nation, because they are trying to scuttle the voice of half the population of the country,” she said.
“We congratulate Soniaji and we are very hopeful that through her intervention, this Bill will certainly be passed not only in Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) but also ratified by the state legislatures as well,” she added.
Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have been opposing the Bill, seeking amendments to include reservation for Muslim, low-caste and backward class women, as well.
The government had pushed ahead with this Bill, ignoring possible threats to its stability and even evicting some lawmakers who created a ruckus on the floor of the House to show their pposition to the Bill. (ANI)
