With the passage of the historic Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023 that was hanging in uncertainty for the past 27 years, it is BJP’s time to claim ownership of it. BJP Mahila Morcha has arranged a grand celebration at 9 am Friday at its Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg office in New Delhi where women MPs, ministers, and leaders will be present to say “thank you” Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will visit there.
With 48% of voters in India being women, this is one voting bloc every political party has an eye on – the JDU, BRS and Congress. But with the Bill being passed in two consecutive days, the BJP sees victory ahead of some crucial state elections including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan this year, and the general elections in 2024.
Leading the preparations for the floral arrangements, BJP’s Mahila Morcha president Vanathi Srinivasan. She has been espousing for the Bill for a long time now, and on Thursday evening, she is a happy soul. Brimming with a smile, Srinivasan countered Sonia Gandhi, saying the Congress can’t digest the fact that Modi brought and got the bill passed.
Amid last-minute preparations at the BJP HQ, she spoke to News18 about plans for Friday, what this bill means for women, controversy over the OBC subcategory and its implementation.
Edited Excerpts:
Q: What is Mahila Morcha planning for tomorrow?
A: We, from the Mahila Morcha, are organising a grand welcome for him (PM Modi) at the party headquarters. Office bearers and women cadres have requested him to come. The event is scheduled for 9 am. All women MPs, including ministers, are being invited. However, it is still unclear whether he will be giving a speech or not.
Q: What does the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill mean to you?
A: As far as Indian politics is concerned, it is still a male-dominated arena. Women find it very difficult to make their mark here. In the last so many years, women have been promised (about it) by different political parties. But nothing happened. But the Prime Minister (Modi) was determined to see it through. He has taken a bold step. In the past, we have seen party leaders speaking in favour of the bill but instigating their party members against it. Now, the total scenario has been changed.
Q: Do you think PM Modi’s image made that possible?
A: Look, it needed a political will and the PM has that. All along, he was instrumental in bringing a lot of women candidates into the electoral process, which I personally witnessed. Let me tell you something. We could get a sense of how much he was keen to bring the bill when he used to address party meetings. It is not just key positions in the ministry but the amount of women that are benefiting from the central government’s schemes is also significant.
Q: Sonia Gandhi on Thursday made a strong case for OBC categorisation within the 33%. How do you respond?
A: The Congress party or its MPs can’t digest the fact that the Women’s Reservation Bill was brought by PM Modi, that too in the new Parliament House and on the very first day there. On one hand, they want to claim that it’s their bill. If that is the case, you should be happy about it. However, they ended up criticising it by talking about the OBC reservation. But when you were in power, you never supported it. Today, Nadda ji (JP Nadda) has addressed how the BJP has given the country an OBC Prime Minister (in the form of Modi). First time, we have such a large number of OBC MPs and ministers. It’s under this tenure that the National Commission of OBC has been given a constitutional status. Unlike other political leaders, PM Modi doesn’t flaunt his OBC background.
Q: The Bill can’t be implemented immediately as there needs to be a census and delimitation. But ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, should each political party ensure 33% of women candidates voluntarily?
A: BJP has given 33% reservation to women in party positions in the last many years. Apart from that, 15% of the seats are given to women candidates. No other party is doing that. We have always been keen on bringing more women to electoral politics.
Q: Do you think other parties that are being vocal will do that voluntarily?
A: Sometimes women from their (opposition parties) families (of the party leader) are given tickets. But women empowerment is taking shape in this country. Women have their own political aspirations that is visible.
Q: What will be your message to the only two MPs — Asaduddin Owaisi and Imtiyaz Jaleel — who voted against the Women’s Reservation Bill?
A: That was really unfortunate. Had it been unanimous, it would be great.
Q: Their argument for objection is that it will help only ‘savarna’ women. Do you buy that argument?
A: I have a simple question for them — All these years they have been mum about reservations in the main category. So, why make a sound and fury only when the Women’s Reservation Bill is coming?
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