Kharge rebuffs government again on women quota, seeks all-party meet after polls | India News
The Congress president has hinted to support the Center with the 2029 rolloutNew Delhi: Rejecting a fresh demand by the Center for a meeting to discuss amendments to the Women’s Reservation Bill, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to the Modi government saying the opposition is “very busy” campaigning for the assembly elections and reiterated the government’s demand to call an all-party meeting after April 29 when polling closes.However, for the first time since discussions on the amendment of the quota bill began, Kharge indicated the opposition’s readiness to facilitate the implementation of 33% women reservation in legislatures from 2029. Also, the government is said to have officially told Kharge that it wants to separate the census and demarcation from women’s issues.On Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju wrote to Kharg seeking a meeting to discuss the matter. In response, Kharge chided the government for “huge haste” to “amend a constitutional amendment act 30 months after it was initially passed” and asked to wait until after the elections.“We are all very busy with the election campaign. That is why we have suggested holding the meeting after the campaign is over,” he wrote, adding, “This will in no way affect the implementation of the amended Nari Shakti Bandan Adhiniyam, 2023 from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.”
On Tuesday, the opposition Bharat Bloc, barring the TMC, wrote to the government that all-party intelligence should be sought to amend the landmark bill. It demanded the government to circulate its amendment proposal in advance for better discussion. Kharge has twice earlier rejected requests from the government for a Congress-only meeting and asked to discuss the matter with the entire opposition camp.Slamming the government, Kharge wrote, “On September 21, 2023, during a debate in the Rajya Sabha, I myself demanded immediate implementation of the Nari Shakti Bandan Adhiniyam, 2023, but the government did not agree to my demand.”Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said the government’s fresh plea meant that it wanted to amend 334-A(1), which has been in abeyance since the passage of the constitution just two years ago. Pointing to the ongoing polls, he said, “The Election Commission’s code of conduct has been reduced to Modi’s campaign code. Calling a special two-day session any day in April would violate one MCC but comply with the other.”“
