New Delhi, Dec 9 (UNI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi has written to Congress as well as its alliance governments in states to pass a resolution in the next session to reserve one third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies for women.
'While Indian women have made rapid strides in all spheres, they continue to be severely under-represented in Parliament and state Assemblies.
'True empowerment entails that adequate number of women are represented in our Legislative bodies,' he said in a letter written to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh dated December 6.
India ranks 148th out of 193 countries in terms of the percentage in country's Parliament, he has said, adding that 'the lack of adequate representation number of women in our polity undermines our democracy and perpetuates existing systemic injustices.'
The Congress and several parties have called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill and pledged their support, he said.
While the opponents of the Bill have cast doubts on the ability of women to effect change, the leadership role taken by women after the 73rd and the 74th Constitutional amendments have proved the detractors wrong, Mr Gandhi stated in the letter released to media on Sunday.
'In order to affirm our support to the passage of the Bill, it would be expedient of the state Assembly to pass a resolution calling for the reservation of one-third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies for women, in next session.
Mr Gandhi said Congress Mahila president Sushmita Dev has written to Congress led state governments in this regard.
The Legislative Assemblies of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have already taken a lead and passed a resolution calling upon the Centre to enact the Women Reservation Bill, he said and urged to do the needful, reaffirming party's commitment towards women empowerment.
BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday has written to chief ministers of all states and union territories seeking support on the Bill.
The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 2008, commonly known as the Women's Reservation Bill, seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies.
Introduced by the UPA-I government in May 2008, it also provides that one third of the total number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall be reserved for women of those groups.
UNI RSA SHK1826