Women’s Rights Advocates Urge Prime Minister Modi: Pass Women’s Reservation Bill as a Birthday Gift

Varanasi(KCN):

 September, 2023 — Prominent women’s rights advocates in Varanasi have appealed to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on his birthday, urging him to pass the long-pending women’s reservation bill during the special session of Parliament. They claim that passing this bill would be a gift to millions of women.

Shirin Shabana Khan, Program Director of the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and Savitri Bai Phule Women’s Panchayat, has initiated a proactive campaign within the Indian Parliament to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill. The campaign carries the message, “A woman’s place is in the house, the people’s house, our Lok Sabha!” This message emphasizes the need for gender equality in Indian politics. The campaign is hosted on Change.org and has garnered support from around 4,500 individuals. https://www.change.org/p/33-percent-women-reservation-and-political-framework-for-enhancing-women-participation-in-indian-politics

Shirin Shabana Khan noted that the campaign has received support not only from women but also from several men who believe in the cause.

With a wealth of experience spanning over three decades across diverse social contexts, Lenin Raghuvanshi, an award-winning and globally recognized human rights activist, adds his unwavering voice to this critical cause. He emphasizes the indispensable role of women’s participation in conflict resolution, war prevention, and the cultivation of a diverse, harmonious, and inclusive sustainable democracy. Raghuvanshi passionately advocates for the immediate implementation of a minimum 33 percent reservation for women in state legislatures and the national parliament. His support extends to extensive correspondence with numerous relevant authorities.

In this context, Shirin Shabana Khan has made efforts to garner support from political parties, the Prime Minister, the cabinet, and Members of Parliament. She also sent a letter to Dr. Mahendra Bhai Kalubhai Munjapara, the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, and received an official response from the Ministry of Law and Justice, underscoring the need for broad consensus among political parties before amending the constitution. Previously, she submitted a letter to the Prime Minister, which was acknowledged as a public grievance and received a response from the Ministry of Law and Justice. Ms. Vidya Chavan, spokesperson and State President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), voiced her support for the petition on Twitter.

Representatives from Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and Savitri Bai Phule Women’s Panchayat also met with Salman Khurshid, the President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, and decided to actively support women’s reservation in the upcoming elections. The Indian National Congress has allocated 40% of its tickets to women in the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.

Political activist Abhimanyu Pratap believes that supporting this initiative will contribute significantly to women’s participation and empowerment. It is seen as a critical step towards strengthening Indian democracy, making it more robust, just, and inclusive.