Yechury appealed to all the opposition parties to put pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he had promised that he would implement the Women's Reservation Bill 9 years ago, which is still stuck in the Lok Sabha.
NEW DELHI — Speaking to the media at the day-long hunger strike led by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha at Jantar Mantar here on Friday, national general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Sitaram Yechury said that the Centre has been using government agencies as political weapons and violating the constitutional system.
Yechury appealed to all the opposition parties to put pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he had promised that he would implement the Women’s Reservation Bill 9 years ago, which is still stuck in the Lok Sabha.
He added that there is a need to pressurise the Central government to pass the bill.
The CPI-M leader said that the Centre is misusing the government agencies and harassing leaders.
He added that the BJP says that leaders who claim to be innocent should answer the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
He stated that all the leaders who have been summoned to appear before the ED, have done so and cooperated in its inquiry by answering the questions asked.
He said that the media should understand that all the leaders gathered at the protest site are here in support of the Women’s Reservation Bill and not to unite opposition parties.
Cong claims credit for passage of Women Reservation Bill in RS
Even as BRS MLC K. Kavitha holds the one-day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on Friday to demand the passage of Women Reservation Bill in Parliament, the Congress claimed credit for passing it in the Rajya Sabha, and said that the bill has not lapsed.
Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communication, Jairam Ramesh said, “The landmark Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on 9th March 2010, entirely due to the efforts of the Congress leadership. But it could not find support in Lok Sabha. The Bill has not lapsed. It is alive and pending. What has stopped it from being revived?”
The Women Reservation Bill could not be passed in the Lok Sabha. It was opposed by many political parties, including some of the then UPA constituents.
The Congress decided not to participate in the one-day hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar.
— IANS