Former law ministers support women's reservation bill, question 'delay' of nine years
women's reservation bill introduced in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, but some of them questioned the «delay» of nine years by the Modi government despite enjoying a majority in Parliament. Veerappa Moily and Kapil Sibal, who were Union law ministers during the UPA rule, attacked the BJP for not supporting the Congress earlier for passage of the bill.
Ramakant Khalap and Ashwani Kumar said it was a long-due move to address the aspiration of the people of India that women get proper representation in legislatures.
The bill is aimed at expanding women's participation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies across the country.
Senior Congress leader Moily told PTI that introducing the Bill when the elections are approaching is «absolutely political» and the government does not have a legitimate interest in women as a class.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said if it was not a «political move» and was really for the empowerment of women, the Centre should have moved it in 2014 when the BJP-led government came to power.
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: Here are the key points of the women's reservation bill
The introduction and imminent passage of the women's reservation bill is a transformative moment in the nation's history, Ashwani Kumar, who was a law minister under the UPA rule, said.
«Women's reservation in legislatures will empower women and strengthen the nation's democratic edifice. The transformative law will address historical injustices and give voice to the aspirations of half of our population,» he said.
Kumar said Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh can justly claim credit for initiating the move.
«The welcome national consensus on the move demonstrates our capacity to rise above partisan politics in
