Women’s Reservation Bill: MLC Kavitha to Protest in Delhi

Hyderabad: BRS MLC K Kavitha emphasized the urgent need for women’s reservation in legislative bodies and questioned the Opposition parties’ stance on the issue. She asserted that this was not a personal agenda but a pressing demand of women across the nation.

Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, Kavitha reminded that despite Dr. BR Ambedkar fighting for women’s reservations in the legislative bodies, the issue was not addressed by any political party in the ruling since independence. She pointed out that women currently make up only 12 percent of the Indian Parliament, a marginal growth from eight percent in the first Lok Sabha.

“Should women remain as Sarpanchs, MPTCs, and ZPTCs?” Kavitha questioned, challenging the status quo. She reminded that the number of women representatives in local bodies of Telangana increased to 14 lakhs only after the BRS government brought legislation in the Assembly.

Responding to criticism by the BJP and the Congress leaders on the lack of women representatives in the BRS candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, the MLC demanded to know why the Women’s Reservation Bill, which was approved in the Rajya Sabha back in 2010, did not receive the nod in the Lok Sabha even in 2023. She asked why the Narendra Modi government did not pass the bill despite having a full majority.

Further, Kavitha announced her plans to renew the push for the Women’s Reservation Bill by staging another protest in Delhi in December, by inviting prominent women leaders from across the political spectrum, including Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Smriti Irani, and others, to join the effort.

In response to BJP MP D Arvind’s claims on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the BRS leader referred to allegations of EVMs tampering made by a professor in this regard. She urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take these claims seriously, given the vital role elections play in democratic governance, to ensure fair and transparent elections.

On the dissidence among aspirants, Kavitha said candidatures were finalized by the BRS leadership after considering all factors. She cautioned against any actions that could undermine the party’s objectives. She stressed the importance of respectful discourse in public life and affirmed that all individuals denied an MLA ticket would be given an opportunity at a later stage as assured by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

When asked about the Chief Minister’s decision to contest from two seats including Kamareddy and Gajwel, Kavitha rubbished the Opposition’s claims that he was fearing defeat and said his every move had a greater strategy. She reminded me that he did not lose any elections notwithstanding the place he contested from.

On electoral promises being made by the Congress, the MLC said empty promises were characteristic of the Congress and pointed out that the voters did not believe similar assurances given by the Congress during previous Assembly elections.

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