Northeast

Women's Reservation Bill: Convention decides to launch agitation

A women convention resolved to support the proposed mass protest that will be taken up by the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi from August 1 to 9 in demand for the passing of the WRB, by sending 42 representatives from Manipur.

ByIFP Bureau

Updated 25 Jul 2022, 3:42 pm

(PHOTO: IFP)
(PHOTO: IFP)

A women's convention on Monday unanimously resolved to unite all political parties in Manipur and launch an agaitation to ensure that the ‘Women's Reservation Bill (WRB)’ is passed in the monsoon session of Parliament.   

The WRB is a bill which proposes to amend the India Constitution to reserve one-third (33 per cent) of all seats in the Lok Sabha for women.

The convention was held at Manipur Press Club in Imphal West under the initiative of the All Manipur Nupi Marup.

It also resolved to support the proposed mass protest that will be taken up by the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi from August 1 to 9 in demand for the passing of the WRB, by sending 42 representatives from the state.

The convention further resolved the formation of a State Level Committee to demand the WRB under the initiative of AMNM.

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In the common view, the status of women in the country has been suppressed since the past many years and women are often viewed as a housekeeping material, said general secretary of AMNM L Sunitibala in her keynote address.

She cited that the letter written to the then British Prime Minister during the pre-independent era by political activists Sorojini Naidu and Mrs Nawaz, seeking reservation for women and co-option in any sphere of activities clearly shows that the women since those days are being suppressed from their rights.

She alleged that since the introduction of the WRB in the Parliament (Lok Sabha) in September 12, 1996, it has been suppressed by various political parties and is not passed in the Lok Sabha till date despite reintroducing the bill in several sessions of the Lok Sabha.

There had been an incident of tearing of the bill by an MP in 1998 during a Lok Sabha when the bill was reintroduced by the then NDA government, said the general secretary.

“The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 during the UPA regime; however, we cannot call it success as it is still yet to be passed in the Lok Sabha,” she said.

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Some states have already given 30 per cent reservation for women in the local body election and those states showed good performance, she mentioned.

She stressed that women need to participate in the highest decision making body of the country as development can only be brought only when there is co-option and gender equality.

As men have already been in the advancing level in the field of politics, it is the need of the hour to give 30 per cent reservation for women in Parliament to give equal status to women, she said.  

The convention was also attended by Up-Adhyaksha of Imphal East Ksh Tama; president of AMNM M Sakhi Devi; secretary of Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup L Mema Devi; president of BJP Manipur Mahila Morcha L Loteeka; vice-president of MPCC L Tilotama; ex-secretariat member of MSC/CPI S Sorojini and secretary of AMDWA Ashabala Ayekpam as presidium members.

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All Manipur Nupi MarupreservationWRBWomen's Reservation Bill

IFP Bureau

IFP Bureau

IMPHAL, Manipur

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