In a move aimed at taking forward the struggle for implementation of 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, seven organisations took part in a meeting at the YWCA here on Tuesday. The Women’s Reservation Bill was first introduced in Parliament on September 12, 1996.
Organisations including the Joint Women’s Programme (JWP), the All India Democratic Women’s Association, ANHAD and the Centre for Developmental Studies participated in planning the future course of action. Stating that “33% reservation is just a mirage”, JWP director Jyotsna Chatterji said, “There is hardly any representation of women in Parliament and it is unfortunate for a developing country to not include its women in the process.”
She added that the BJP’s manifesto had claimed that reservation would be increased to 50% but there has been no dialogue on the issue even after three years.
“Just like cows, the safety of women has also become a mirage. They fight in our names and use our names to the fullest, but nothing good comes out for us,” Ms. Chatterji said. Annie Raja of the National Federation of Indian Women said, “They [the BJP] keep chanting slogans like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao but have not uttered a single word on the Bill.”
She also condemned the attitude of silence saying, “We need more and more women in power to understand and raise important issues that women face.”
Centre for Social Research director Ranjana Kumari said, “Men, sitting in power, conveniently tell us that women are not competent enough to hold power. This attitude needs to change. Once a man even asked me who was our male champion for the cause. I told him we have struggled and become strong enough to survive without men, and we can fight without them too.”
