Women's reservation bill a 'shugufa', says Sachin Pilot

JAIPUR: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday called the introduction of the women’s reservation bill a “shugufa” — suggesting that it was a “stunt” meant to mislead.

He said all parties agree on reservation for women but the Centre maintained suspense and played “hide and seek” on the issue.

The government on Tuesday introduced a constitutional amendment bill reserving 33 per cent seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, reviving a bill pending for 27 years.

“Why was this hide-and-seek game played when all parties had a consensus on women’s reservation? Making announcements in a hush-hush manner at night and maintaining suspense, calling a special session … such a ‘shugufa’ is an old habit of the BJP,” Pilot told reporters in Tonk.

Pilot also questioned the need to change the women’s reservation bill that was passed by the Rajya Sabha during the UPA tenure in 2010. He said if the BJP-led Centre had a clear intention, it could have passed the UPA-era bill.

There have been several efforts to introduce the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies since 1996. The last such attempt was made in 2010 when the Rajya Sabha passed the bill but it could not be passed in the Lok Sabha.

The latest bill, named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, will come into effect only after a delimitation exercise is completed and is, therefore, unlikely to be in force during the next Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

“Now, it will take six years. First, a population census will be done, then delimitation and then (the) reservation will be implemented,” Pilot said.

He said if the Centre’s intention was clear, it could have implemented the bill without delay.

“But they do something and have something else on their mind,” Pilot added.

With Rajasthan set to hold assembly elections later this year, Pilot — a former Rajasthan chief minister — said the Congress talks about youngsters, development, farmers and inflation.

“The report card of the Centre is empty whereas the BJP in Rajasthan has no issues. They are going among people just to grab power,” he said.

The BJP has failed to play the role of effective opposition in Rajasthan as they only kept levelling allegations against the government instead of working to connect with the masses.

Asked about BJP central leaders visiting Rajasthan ahead of the elections, Pilot said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders had come during the 2018 assembly election but the people ensured victory for the Congress. The BJP’s central leadership has to come again and again because they do not have any faith in the state leadership.” He said the BJP leaders are doing yatras but their impact is not visible and the people are not connecting with them.

Pilot also revealed that the Congress will release its list of candidates in October.