Cong Leader Questions Centre On Women’s Reservation Bill

Congress leader and former Governor of Rajasthan, Margaret Alva, has protested the inactive passing off of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Modi-led government when it has already been green-signalled by the Rajya Sabha.

“The bill…has been passed by the Rajya Sabha and the present government has an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha. It can be passed instantly, but they are not bringing it to the Lok Sabha,” she said, as reported by Indian Express.

Alva is of the view that the BJP government is not bringing about discussion on the concerned bill is because male politicians of the party think that they will have to give their seats away to accommodate more women.

“Since the bill has been passed in the Rajya Sabha, it does not get lapsed as Rajya Sabha is a permanent house. All parties are committed. So you have people who are committed to give you the support. Why are they not bringing it? Because they are afraid that it will be passed and they don’t want to give up their seats,” she said during a discussion at the Tata Literature Live festival in Mumbai.

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The politician also spoke about discrimination against women as family laws, inheritance laws etc are essentially against women. She said that the laws are made by men for men and that’s why, women have no say in them.

She talked about health-related discrimination against women. “Women, once they have passed the child-bearing period, have no consequence. Women are never admitted to hospitals. Focus on issues related to women’s health has been missing and there have been not enough voices to raise these issues,” she said.

Her speech showed the true face of society that only looks upon women as only an agent to produce children. This is the reason health policies only focus on lactation plans and never at older women suffering from menopause or younger women who suffer teen pregnancies under various circumstances.

Picture credit- Vital Voices