New Delhi: The Congress may not have been able to push the Women's Reservation Bill that aims to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. But when it comes to the party's student organizations, Rahul Gandhi is already working towards implementing a similar quota regime.
It's all about making women part of the Indian political system.
22 year old Vrushali Chalukya, general secretary of NSUI's Maharashtra unit, is in the capital to observe how Delhi University Students Unions. (DUSU) elections are conducted.
She is in-charge of implementing a similar model back home. Their new project is 20 per cent reservation for women, right from college level.
"Do you think it's easy for us to come from Maharashtra only for campaigning? No. They have given us a chance, a platform and opportunities are just going to keep increasing. NSUI is creating it for us," Chalukya said.
Rahul Gandhi's brain child, the project, hopes to create more opportunities for women within the organisational set-up.
For example, in states of the six general secretaries in NSUI committee, two will now have to be women.
At the district level, of the four general secretaries, two seats will be reserved for women and to encourage their participation, women candidates will be given a 50 per cent concession in the enrollment fee.
But the biggest concern are states where women participation has traditionally been low.
Hibi Eden, president of NSUI, said, "In areas like Dantewada and tribal regions, women don't come forward so to ensure participation. We are doing extensive campaigns and membership drives and also taking help from reservation."
Women connect better with women and the party hopes that making the entry level process easier and more accessible will mean they can connect to a much larger audience.