Sonia Gandhi to lead Congress charge during Women Reservation Bill debate today, says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday said that Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will lead the party’s debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha today.

Talking to news agency ANI, when asked if the Congress will be part of the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill, Chowdhury said, “Yes, Sonia Gandhi will take part in it. Sonia Gandhi will start (discussion) from our party, it has been decided as of yet.”

#WATCH | Delhi: On being asked whether the Congress will be part of the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, “Yes, Sonia Gandhi will take part in it. Sonia Gandhi will start (discussion) from our party, it has been… pic.twitter.com/kFoete0SmB

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2023

On Tuesday, the NDA government introduced the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, reserving 33 per cent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

The Manmohan Singh-led UPA government introduced the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2008, which it passed in 2010. However, the Bill never reached the Lok Sabha for consideration. The Bill was also one of the key poll promises the BJP had made in the run-up to both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged members of both houses of Parliament to pass the bill unanimously, asserting that it would further strengthen Indian democracy.

“The Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam will further strengthen our democracy. I congratulate mothers, sisters and daughters of the nation for Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam. I assure all mothers, sisters and daughters of the nation that we are committed to making this bill into a law,” PM Modi said.

With inputs from agencies