As promised the Prime Minister delivered a historic decision on the first sitting in the new parliament. Of course being Narendra Modi, the element of showmanship was all there – and why not? This is not the first time the Women Reservations Bill was coming up on the floor of the house, but this was certainly the one time where it is almost certain that the bill would be passed. Not only does the Modi Government have the right intentions, it also has the majority to deliver on the said intentions.
For once the Congress played its cards right. Perhaps expecting that the Prime Minister would bring in the Women’s Bill in the Special Session of Parliament the Congress has been reminding us how the UPA government piloted a version of the bill in 2010, and it was passed in the Rajya Sabha where the Congress had the numbers but fell in the Lok Sabha, mostly due to opposition from the regional and Mandal based parties. We were reminded as to how Rahul Gandhi had written to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting that the Women Reservations Bill be brought up and how Sonia Gandhi had given it a personal push. Even once she heard about the Special Session the former Congress President wrote to the PM requesting that he put the bill on the agenda and get it passed.
It would be difficult for the nay sayers to oppose the bill, given that parties like the SP, RJD and the JD(U) have had a regime change. Those who had opposed it specially Sharad Yadav and Mulayam SIngh Yadav are no more and Lalu Yadav has also passed on the mantle to the Gen Next. Whether it is Nitish Kumar, Akhilesh Yadav or Tejaswi Yadav, all are mindful that in today’s politics, women deserve equal play. True it will not be easy as there is a strong patriarchal mindset dominating, especially in North India.
While the contours of the Bill are still not known there is speculation as to whether the bill would include a quota within a quota. Reservations for OBC, SC and ST women would go a long way in assuaging the mandal based parties. Also, there is talk about extending the number of seats in parliament that way no male MP would feel that his seat is being snatched away. But increasing the number of seats can only happen post the delimitation exercise scheduled for 2026.
Its not just the Opposition, even the BJP needs the pro women optics that come with this bill. Of late the party has been in trouble with the women voters specially after the Manipur violence against women and also the agitation and charges raised by the women wrestlers against a BJP MP. The PM has always been mindful of the women vote, reaching out to them through schemes like Ujjwala and the abolition of Triple Talaq. And the women have reciprocated, voting for the PM in large numbers during the last two general elections. Hence it is natural that he would like the regain this vote bank specially on the eve of a general election.
At the end of the day, introducing the bill is a win win, not just for the politicians but also for the society as a whole.
