Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Kavitha Kalvakuntla, a staunch advocate for women's rights, voiced her optimism about a brighter future for women after the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill 2023 in parliament.
“India has passed a revolutionary bill which we are hoping will bring many, many more women to the Parliament. Today, the number is at 78, with the passage of the Bill we are hoping 181 more women will join the Parliament,” Ms Kavitha said during a speech in London.
Ms Kavitha, the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, shared the post with a caption that read, “Celebrating a historic moment at the @BridgeIndiaOrg Event in Central Hall, Westminster, as India passes the Nari Shakti Vandhan Abhyan, a monumental step towards gender equality. Reflecting on the journey, acknowledging biases, and emphasizing the importance of women in shaping the future, this milestone is a call for global unity in empowering women.”
The bill states that one-third of the seats in Lok Sabha, State legislative assemblies, and the Delhi assembly will be reserved for women. This also applies to seats set aside for SCs (Scheduled Castes) and STs (Scheduled Tribes) in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures. This legislation is poised to bring a transformative shift by facilitating increased participation of women in the legislative process.
K Kavitha, an MLC from Nizamabad district in Telangana, thanked the efforts made by former PM Deve Gowda in 1996, Sonia Gandhi during the UPA term in 2010, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023 for their roles in the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.
“For future generations September 19 and 20 will remain the most important dates,” she said. The Bill was passed in both houses of parliament on these dates.
Interestingly, she pointed out that as per Indian customs women do the first puja or take the first step inside a new house. “The first bill passed in the new Parliament building was the Women's Reservation Bill. It is a good omen,” she added.
