New Delhi: The Left on Wednesday demanded an
early passage of the Women Reservation`s Bill, saying the
legislation should not be "delayed" anymore as women demand
equal space in the democratic set-up.
"This issue cannot be delayed and postponed anymore,"
CPI leader D Raja said, adding, "no civilisation is a
civilisation unless gender equality is acknowledged and
established".
The Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha last year and
it is waiting to be cleared by the Lower House of Parliament
since then.
Raja said there were suggestion from some political
parties and from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that the
Bill be passed first and then "genuine and real issues
relating to women" can be discussed later on, "but some
parties even today do not agree to it.
He, however, expressed hope that the Bill will be
passed. "It is a question of time".
Raja was speaking at a function on the Reservation`s
Bill, also attended by JD (U) leader Shivanand Tiwari and All
India Mahila Congress president Prabha Thakur.
Thakur said her party sought to build a consensus
before tabling the Bill in the Lok Sabha and preventing any
unruly scenes witnessed during the passage of the Bill in the
Rajya Sabha.
She said the party had introduced the Bill first in
the Rajya Sabha so that it does not get "lapsed".
PTI
