Bengaluru, Nov 14 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday expressed confidence that the Women’s Reservation Bill would be implemented in the upcoming Parliament session, saying women must get adequate representation in legislatures.
He was speaking after unveiling the logo of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) India Region Conference on the steps of Vidhana Soudha.
The conference will be held in Bengaluru on November 17 and 18.
Shivakumar said the Bill had been passed in the Rajya Sabha and was awaiting approval in the Lok Sabha.
“I am hopeful that it will become a reality in the coming Parliament session,” he said.
He recalled that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had brought in legislation providing 50 per cent reservation for women, from panchayats to district-level administration.
“I believe all political parties are in favour of women’s reservation,” he said.
Welcoming the prominent role of women in the state’s administrative system, he said they held several key positions. “Our Governor, Chief Secretary, Legislative Assembly Secretary, Legislative Council Secretary and Deputy Chairperson are all women. We are in a fortunate position where we get to greet them and get our work done,” he said.
Calling women “the eyes of a family”, he said that when women are empowered, men are empowered too.
Shivakumar said the Karnataka government would extend full support to the conference, the first independent CWP India Region Conference. Describing it as a major milestone in Karnataka’s history, he said it was being organised under the leadership of CWP India Region Chairperson D Purandeswari.
More than 150 women parliamentarians, legislators and presiding officers from India and abroad are expected to attend the two-day event and offer guidance on the country’s development and the protection of women’s rights, he said.
The government would extend all necessary cooperation through Legislative Assembly Speaker G S Patil and Legislative Council Chairman Saleem Ahmed, he added.
Saturday, being Children’s Day, Shivakumar paid tribute to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who laid the foundation for the country’s development.
He also recalled the achievements of India’s first woman Chief Minister Sucheta Kripalani, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Droupadi Murmu.
“Their achievements are immense. They stand as examples of how women can achieve anything they set their minds to,” he said. PTI AMP SSK
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