BRS MLC Kavitha urges women leaders to join reservation bill hunger strike at Jantar Mantar

The erstwhile Telangana Jagruthi, which still goes by that name in Telangana, played a key role in raising cultural consciousness among women during the heady days of the Telangana movement, which resulted in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh being bifurcated to create the new state.

Interacting with reporters at her residence, Kavitha, covering a wide gamut of issues, took the BJP-led Central government to the cleaners for its “monumental” failures in several sectors and for its lack of commitment to bring the Women’s Reservation Bill.

27 years and counting, when will the women of our country be given their fair share of representation in the legislative discourse?

Join us at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 10th of March if you believe that Women’s Reservation Bill is the need of the hour, like we do! pic.twitter.com/ahimK1okBi

— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) March 2, 2023

She said that as a woman, she was ready to work with women of all parties.

“The women in different parties may be bound by their ideologies, and we may be fighting with one another, but when it comes to women’s rights we are all one,” she said.

She added that she was organising the protest on 10 March — two days after International Women’s Day and four days ahead of the commencement of the Parliament session on 14 March after recess — to make it convenient for all women leaders to attend and express solidarity with the cause.

Women’s Reservation Bill

Kavitha demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi bring the bill in the current session or at least in the next session of Parliament, and ensure that it is passed.

“It is not difficult for the BJP as it has a brute majority. However, Narendra Modi talks highly about women from the ramparts of Red Fort, but does little for them,” she said.

She also recalled the quota promises made by the saffron party during the 2014 and 2019 elections, and pointed out how it went back on them.

The BRS leader suggested that instead of reservation of seats in favour of women, it would be better if the reservations were made mandatory and the choice given to the parties as to where they would field women.

If seats are reserved, all women would be contesting among themselves and, in the end, only one would win and the rest would be defeated, she said.

She recalled Telangana Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao — her father — also voicing his opinion on providing 33 percent reservation to women in Parliament after increasing the number of seats by 33 percent.

This way, there would be no threat to the existing seats going to women, she said.

Also read: Bandi Sanjay challenges KCR to debate on 3 issues in Telangana

Awaiting change

The former MP said that it was a sad commentary on Indian democracy that the women’s reservations issue had not moved forward since the constitution of the first Lok Sabha in 1952, when the number of women parliamentarians was 24.

Though it was 78 now, it was still far from satisfactory, she noted.

The Women’s Reservation Bill, which was brought in several times, was passed only in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 when the UPA was in power.

“The BJP should wake up from its slumber as it is already nine years since Modi came to power in 2014. Let it become a reality at least now,” she said.

SC judgement on ECs

When her reaction was sought regarding the sensational judgement of the Supreme Court that the Election Commissioners should be chosen by a committee comprising the prime minister, leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India, Kavitha said that she was happy to learn that the poll panel would at least be unshackled from the control of the BJP.

“I welcome the judgement. I believe the EC is going to be freed from the clutches of the BJP and Narendra Modi. Till now, it had not been functioning independently,” she said.

She also welcomed the Supreme Court judgement constituting a committee of experts to probe the Adani case.

She reminded all that her party wanted a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe. A JPC can summon anyone and examine records.

Value of LIC holding in #Adani drops 11% lower than purchase price. What does the Modi Govt have to say to the lakhs of middle class families invested in #LIC ? Why is #CBI #ED #RBI silent or are they meant only for political witch hunting. @BRSparty demands JPC on #AdaniScam https://t.co/4Lbdd9XhJ6

— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) February 25, 2023

“I do not know what powers the six-member panel, headed by retired judge Abhay Manohar Sapre, would have. It is not yet clear whether it is an advisory body,” she said.

The panel should at least have been headed by a sitting judge, she added.

Also read: SC says committee of PM, LoP, CJI to appoint Election Commissioners

On other topics

The BRS MLC reacted sharply to the BJP leaders’ repeated assertions that she would soon be arrested in the Delhi liquor scam. “It is not proper for BJP leaders to talk as they like,” she snapped.

She pondered on the need for investigation agencies if they acted on the instructions of BJP leaders.

To a question on whether the BRS would work with the Congress in its efforts to bring down the BJP at the Centre, Kavitha said there was still time for it.

The Congress should first come out with its strategy, she added.

“The Congress is not the same party it was in the 1970s. Let it first shed its arrogance. Let all anti-BJP parties come together. Let us then discuss ways to take down the BJP,” she added.

To another query on the possibility of early elections in Telangana, she said that she was not aware of any such proposal.

“Maybe there is a buzz outside Pragathi Bhavan, but not inside it,” she said.

Also read: Leaders call for ‘Opposition unity’ against BJP in 2024 LS polls