After the census in 2024, followed by a delimitation exercise, the Women’s Reservation Bill will come into force, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Moodbidri on Friday, December 15.
Speaking at the function of the Excellent Education Foundation to release a commemorative postal stamp in the name of Rani Abakka, Ms. Sitharaman said Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not miss any chance to highlight importance of women.
“No wonder the (Women Reservation) Bill was passed. It has to go through census, delimitation, and post that nobody can stop reservation for women from happening. In all probability, the Census will happen in 2024, post which delimitation and after that Women’s Reservation Bill will come into force,” she said.
Speaking at length about valour and heroics of Rani Abbakka, Ms. Sitharaman said the Union Government has documented the heroics of Rani Abbakka and many others, who have fought against imperial power, as part of Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. A digital district repository has been compiled with 14,500 stories. This repository has micro-level details about the freedom struggle and it highlights places linked with the freedom struggle. The Union Minister called upon the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner to screen the digital repository in every school in the district.
Ms. Sitharaman said the Ministry of Culture tied up with Amar Chitra Katha to bring out three different books. One was on brave women of freedom struggle, which featured, among others, Rani Abbakka. Another book that was brought out was on women in the Constituent Assembly. A book on ‘Tribal leaders of freedom struggle’ has also been released. A lot of unknown stories related to freedom fighters have been made known through Amar Chitra Katha, she said.
Rani Abbakka is an eternal inspiration for women, she said and hoped a sanik school will be opened in the name of this legendry warrior queen in the Coastal Karnataka region.
She appreciated artist Vasudev Kamath for the portrait of Rani Abbakka, which is used for the commemorative postal stamp.
Pattadhikari of Sri Kshetra Dharmastala Veerendra Heggade and Chief Post Master General, Karnataka Circle, S. Rajendra Kumar, also spoke. Chairman of Excellent Group of Educational Institutions, Yuvaraja Jain, was present.
