MUMBAI: Founder and national president of All India Mahila Empowerment Party Nowhera Shaik has welcomed the introduction of the Wome's Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha and thanked PM Narendra Modi for the "historic decision."
Called the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday seeks to reserve 33% of seats for women representatives in the Parliament and state legislative assemblies.
"We welcome this giant step of Shri Narendra Modiji and his government. The Bill, once made law, will helpful fulfill the dreams of millions of women across the country. It will empower women politically, "said Shaik in a statement. "This is a historic decision."
Talking about the goals of her party, she said that the Mahila Empowerment Party had a clear agenda to empower women through politics as well as economy. Her party, she observed, would give maximum representation to women and field women candidates in all the upcoming elections, including Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
Women, said Shaik, have been kept on the margins when it comes to sharing of power for centuries. "This Bill removes that anomaly and gives women share in political power. Only doing the lip service to our sisters will not help improve their condition. Their condition will improve if they are given share in power and made to shoulder responsibility in development of the country," she said.
It was in 2010 thet the Women' Reservation Bill was first introduced. But it was introduced in the Rajya Sabha. it could never be passed because of differences among political parties.
This has been a long-standing demand of not just the political class but also women rights' activists and groups working for women empowerment across the country.
"That long-standing demand of women is now getting fulfilled after such a long wait," said Shaik.
