Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Expressing relief and happiness at the passage of Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said it was a risk which was worth taking for the sake of women’s empowerment.
“It is a huge risk we have taken but we have taken risks even before when there was any revolutionary step required to be taken. In politics, there are always some risks but the larger picture has to be kept in mind,” Gandhi told an English news channel this evening.
Gandhi admitted to being tense through today and Monday when the Bill was first moved in the House. She said she watched the proceedings from her house and was keeping her fingers crossed. “The support of my party and especially of the women kept me going,” she said, adding that she was not disappointed that the Bill was not passed on International Women’s Day.
“It was a difficult piece of legislation,” she said. Gandhi added it would have been an unhealthy practice for a parliamentary democracy had the bill been cleared without any discussion, as was being done earlier.
Elaborating on the risk her party had taken by angering Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal party chiefs Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad respectively, Gandhi said all leaders needed to look at the larger picture.
Gandhi said the
government had taken the decision to go ahead with the bill
after consultations involving her, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
“We should be generous and think of the larger picture. Even when the bill was first introduced during Rajeev’s (Gandhi) time there was a lot of resentment. But so many of those parties are in power today (and are with us)…those who have not supported us will also come around to the point,” she hoped.
Gandhi said no body had stopped those demanding a sub-quota for Muslims, OBCs, SC/STs to provide seats to candidates from minority communities within the existing 33% quota.
“(This Bill is needed because when time comes to allocate seats to women) parties give some or the other excuse and don’t grant seats to women,” she said on being asked why the reservation was required.
She rejected Mamata Banerjee’s charge about her not being involved in the process of consultation. “The person sitting
next to her in the cabinet meeting told me that Mamata was
enthusiastic and even stood up (in support) when the bill was
discussed. So, I don't understand what happened. I understand
that she will understand,” Gandhi said. Mamata’s Trinamool Congress announced it would abstain from voting.
Gandhi said the credit went to the PM, her party and especially women who had played a very positive role in the process. “The men of my party congratulated me. I asked them ‘Really?’, they said ‘Yes’ and I said ‘Well, congratulations.’
Although she seemed not sure if the Bill would make it through the Lok Sabha in this session, Gandhi said it was a "natural corollary", the next step of
bringing the bill in the Lower House of Parliament will be
taken.
“Our party is committed to it,” she said.
First Published: Wednesday, March 10, 2010, 10:28