"Ensure Separate Quota Or...": Mayawati On Women's Reservation Bill

Amidst the introduction of the Women's Reservation bill in Parliament today, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said that a separate quota for women from Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) sections in the reservation should be ensured in the bill.

"Along with BSP, most of the parties will give their vote in the favour of Women's Reservation Bill. We expect that after the discussion this bill will get passed this time as it has been pending for a long. I said earlier on behalf of my party in the Parliament that women get 50% reservation instead of the proposed 33% in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, keeping in mind the population of women. I hope the Government will think about it. Also, a separate quota for the women from OBC, SC and ST sections should be ensured in the reservation for women or it will be unfair to them, "the BSP chief said.

Union Cabinet on Monday cleared the Women's Reservation Bill, sources said on Monday.

After the bill was cleared by the Cabinet on Monday it was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal on the second day of the special session in the new Parliament building.

Titled Nari Shakti Vandan Adhinyam the bill aims at 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Earlier in his address to the Lok Sabha Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on MPs to come together and pass this bill unanimously.

"Discussion on Women's Reservation Bill happened for a long time. During Atal Bihari Vajpayee's regime Women's Reservation Bill was introduced several times but there was not enough majority to pass the Bill, and because of this this dream remained incomplete. Today, God has given me the opportunity to take this forward...Our government is bringing a new Bill today on Women's participation in both Houses" PM Modi said.

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