Anand Sharma tells government if it’s is serious about welfare of weaker sections and women, it should extend session and bring Women’s Reservation Bill.
New Delhi: The BJP’s defeat in the December 2018 assembly elections forced the government to bring in the bill for 10 per cent reservation for the “economically weaker” sections of the upper castes, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said Wednesday, during a discussion on the bill in Rajya Sabha.
“The BJP would have never brought this bill if it won elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan,” Sharma said.
The Lok Sabha Tuesday passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, which provides 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker sections of the upper castes.
“Articles 15 and 16 already provide reservation for socially backward people. Even the SC had rejected such a proposal. This has always been a challenge for the previous governments. The question is: What prompted you (BJP) to bring this law?” the Congress leader said, questioning the timing of the bill.
“If we go by the data, 10 per cent quota would remove poverty in 800 years. I am not opposing; the entire country is asking… why did you bring this law in the last session of the Parliament? The reason is, you have faced beating in the recent Assembly elections in three states,” he added.
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‘Bring Women’s Reservation Bill too’
Sharma said that the “big message” will come in the next few months. “This bill has been brought by a government which is already in departure mode,” he said.
The Congress leader said his party supports the bill as it was part of its manifesto too, and that people were aware of its intentions.
“After every high tide, there is low tide. ‘Sabka saath sabka vikas‘ is good thinking but is it happening? The entire country is waiting for those days,” said Sharma, adding that the government should first improve the state of the economy and generate jobs.
Sharma said if the government is serious about working for the welfare of weaker sections and women, it should bring the Women’s Reservation Bill and that the Opposition will cooperate in passing it.
“The entire country knows what you promised and what you delivered. Why is that you did not bring the Women’s Reservation Bill? You brought triple talaq but you don’t care about other women. Bring the law tonight, extend the Lok Sabha session, and we will support it (the Women’s Reservation Bill),” he said.
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