Congress MP Sonia Gandhi today urged the government to implement SC, ST and OBC quotas in the Women's Reservation Bill. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi said that the bill was a dream of former PM Rajiv Gandhi and sought immediate implementation of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023’ Bill. She also demanded the conducting of a caste census to ensure the participation of women belonging to Other Backward Class/Scheduled Caste (OBC/SC) communities. "Congress demands that the Bill be implemented with immediate effect but Caste census should also be done and arrangement for reservation of SC, ST and OBC women should be made..." Sonia Gandhi said.
However, the BJP was quick to launch a counter-offensive over the demand for OBC quota. Sharing an old interview of Sonia Gandhi, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "Sonia Gandhi demanded OBC reservation in the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. But what is the point of asking questions you already have answers for?" In the video, Sonia Gandhi was seen responding to the question of the OBC quota in the women's bill by saying that who stops political parties from giving tickets to women belonging to OBC or Muslims as they all are eligible for 33 percent reservation.
Congress = Hypocrisy pic.twitter.com/3XC38RzCx3
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) September 20, 2023
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala compared Congress to hypocrisy over the issue. He also shared a news clip where the Congress government had ruled out the OBC quota in the women's reservation bill.
The Modi government introduced the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023’ Bill in the Lok Sabha yesterday after the Union Cabinet approved the same on Monday. The Bill has been taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha today and is likely to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow.
