Kavitha pushes for Women’s Reservation Bill; writes to 47 parties ahead of Parliament special session

Women’s Reservation Bill

The former MP from Nizamabad has lately been taking up the issue and even convened a Deeksha in New Delhi in March this year, requesting all parties to prove their commitment to the cause of women by passing the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha. In her letters, Kavitha urged the presidents of the parties to set aside their political differences to ensure that the Bill becomes an Act.

Kavitha’s push comes at a time when speculations are flying high and wild on what the agenda of the special session of the Parliament could be. With Lok Sabha elections barely months away, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is expected to bring in legislations with elections in mind. The Women’s Reservation Bill is seen as one way to appeal to women voters as a bloc.

The Women’s Reservation Bill seeks to reserve 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies for women. Despite being a crucial step towards gender parity and inclusive governance, the Bill could not be passed in the Parliament.

Also Read: Kavitha to hold another deeksha at Delhi for passage of Women’s Reservation Bill

Kavitha’s letter to political parties

In her letter, Kavitha stressed on the crucial role women play in every sphere of life and, therefore, said that they deserve representation in legislative bodies. She said that there were already 14 lakh women active in public life, demonstrating their ability to lead and govern effectively.

Kavitha emphasised the importance of inclusivity in the Indian democracy, asserting that increased women’s representation is not a matter of exclusivity, but a means to build a more equitable and balanced political landscape. She urged all political parties to recognise the urgency of the issuer and throw their weight behind the Women’s Reservation Bill.

She said, “The time for change is now and I believe that, together, we can make India a shining example of democracy that truly represents all its citizens.”

She said that her appeal was not limited to any particular party, but extended to all registered and recognised political parties in India. “Let us for once set aside our differences. Let us take his historic step towards gender parity and representative democracy,” she said.

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

Call for unity between parties

Regretting the inordinate delay in passing the Bill, she said that there has been a conspicuous lack of sincerity among various stakeholders to make space for women in legislative bodies.

“The Women’s Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve 33 percent seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies, has been pending for too long. This delay is a disheartening testament to the unwillingness of our political establishment to address this issue adequately,” she said.

The BRS lawmaker said that the upcoming session of Parliament presented a unique opportunity to take the historic step forward. “I hope that all political parties in India will rise above partisan interests and unite in support of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which has languished in the legislative limbo for far too long,” she said.

Let's unite for a stronger, more inclusive Democracy!

I humbly appeal to all political parties, urging them to come together in support of the Women's Reservation Bill in the upcoming special session of Parliament. It's time for us to empower women and ensure their rightful… pic.twitter.com/DLGN6rbZGM

— Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) September 5, 2023

Also Read: Kavitha makes strong pitch for Women’s Reservation Bill

Women representation an inspiration to young girls

Kavitha added that the representation of women in legislative bodies and Parliament, remains woefully inadequate. This glaring disparity hampers the nation’s progress and undermines the principles of democracy on which India was built, she stated. The absence of women in legislative bodies leads to an incomplete and biased representation of the society.

She pointed out that increased representation of women in politics not only empowers them, but also serves as an inspiration for millions of young girls across the country. It sends a powerful message that no dream is too big and no obstacle is insurmountable. The participation of women in legislative discussions leads to a more holistic and balanced approach to policymaking, which in turn would benefit society as a whole.

Kavitha also addressed the letter to MK Stalin (DMK), Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress), YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP), Nitish Kumar (JD-U), Naveen Patnaik (BJD), Mayawati (BSP), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), N Chandrababu Naidu (TDP), YS Sharmila (YSRTP), Chandrashekar Azad (Azad Samaj Party), Pawan Kalyan (Jana Sena), Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD), Arvind Kejriwal (AAP), HD Deve Gowda (JD-S), Hemant Soren (JMM), Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Prakash Ambedkar (Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh).