New Delhi, April 15: Padma Shri awardee and 102-year-old freedom fighter from Goa, Libia Lobo Sardesai, expressed her views on the Women’s Reservation Bill on Wednesday. She acknowledged the bill as a welcome initiative but criticized it as highly unsatisfactory and a mere electoral tactic.
In an interview with a news agency, Sardesai stated, “This is a good bill, and we need it. However, 27 years have passed, and it still hasn’t been implemented. It will take another three years. It’s not coming today or tomorrow.”
She added, “Women make up 50 percent of the population in the country, yet they are stuck with only 33 percent reservation. Women have progressed significantly and can govern the nation, but they are not being given the opportunity. This is very wrong. The bill should have been passed immediately, but they are talking about implementing it after the census and delimitation. Why such a delay? What does the census have to do with it? They already know that women constitute half the population.”
Sardesai labeled the bill as an electoral stunt, stating, “This bill is not being introduced for the welfare of women. It seems to be merely an electoral tactic to attract women. Otherwise, why would it take so long?”
She raised a critical question about when women would receive actual representation once the bill is presented in Parliament. “Women will get representation, but only three years later. We have waited long enough; we cannot wait any longer. Why are the conditions of delimitation and census being imposed only on women? Why don’t these rules apply to MPs and MLAs regarding their representation?”
Sardesai also targeted political parties, saying, “When Congress was in power, BJP opposed this. Now that BJP is in power, they criticize Congress. Neither party is taking this seriously. BJP is now using it merely as an electoral stunt.”
She emphasized that women should receive political representation immediately and urged that the bill not be delayed and be implemented as soon as possible without any conditions.
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My name is Himanshu Tiwari. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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