On Women's day, Sonia, MPs push for Women's Reservation Bill

As the Day was observed across the country to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, it saw some action on the ground when 42-year-old Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan rode to Parliament on an orange Harley-Davidson motorcycle, making a powerful statement.

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution requesting the Centre to enact the Women's Reservation Bill providing for 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures.

The AP government announced a number of schemes aimed at empowerment of women, including opening an exclusive toll-free helpline '181' for women in distress s Day while Hyderabad City Police announced formation of 'Bharosa', a support centre for providing protection to women and children subjected to violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted to say he salutes women for their accomplishments and expressed his government's unwavering commitment to their welfare through schemes like 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' while President Pranab Mukherjee said women should be given freedom to exercise choices at home and workplace.

The women MPs who spoke in Parliament also talked about allowing women's entry into temples where they are banned, better education for girls and financial inclusiveness for women.

They got precedence to speak during an impromptu debate on women's empowerment in the light of Modi's call for only female MPs to address both the Houses today.

In the Lok Sabha, Sonia, who was the first member to speak on the issue of women empowerment, took a dig at the government over a host of issues including its slogan of 'maximum governance and minimum government'.

"Maximum governance is more than just accelerated pace of economic growth. It is also expanding the base of disagreement without inviting retribution or retaliation. Surely, maximum governance does not mean to have double standards in dealing with women's rights.

"Surely, maximum governance also means to give us women our legitimate due -- the long awaited women's reservation bill," Gandhi said and told Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that "we can expect in you a strong ally..."

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said Government is working towards evolving consensus on the Bill and expressed hope that it would succeed in this at the earliest. The bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in 2010 but got stuck in Lok Sabha due to stiff resistance by a number of parties.

Outside Parliament, Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev accused Modi of "failing to empower women" despite getting a historical mandate and asked him break his silence on his government's stand on the women's reservation Bill.