Demand immediate implementation of women reservation bill with quota for SCs, STs, OBCs: Sonia Gandhi

Keeping in line with the party's changed positioning on caste, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday batted for a quota within a quota for OBC women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies while demanding the immediate implementation of the women's reservation bill.

The Congress chose to field Sonia to open the debate for the party in a bid to send a political message and own the idea of the women's quota for which the party-led government in 2010 passed a Bill in Rajya Sabha though it could not go ahead in Lok Sabha owing to parties which demanded an OBC quota within the quota.

MPs from other Opposition parties described the Bill brought in by the current government as "jumla" and a "panic reaction", while echoing Sonia's demand for a quota within quota besides questioning the need for calling a special session when the Bill cannot be implemented immediately.

Leading the debate from the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sonia announced her party's support for the Bill though she outlined the change in Congress' stand from 2010 when it did not find merit in the argument for a quota within quota for OBC women. She had then suggested that nothing stopped parties from demanding a quota within quota to give seats for OBC women.

Commenting on the delay in the implementation of the quota, Sonia said, "Indian women have been waiting for their political responsibility for the last 13 years and now they are being asked to wait for a few more years. How many years – two years, four years, six years, eight years? Is this treatment of Indian women appropriate?"

Taking a diametrically opposite view from what she took 13 years ago when the Bill was passed, Sonia urged the government to bring OBC quota for women.

“The Congress demands that this Bill should be implemented immediately. Along with this, we demand caste census and make provisions for reservation of women belonging to Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe and OBC. The government must take whatever steps are necessary to make this a reality,” she said.

This change comes at a time when the Congress has altered its stance and has started echoing its allies who follow 'Mandal' politics.

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal tweeted, “Open challenge to the 303 Lok Sabha and 93 Rajya Sabha MPs of the BJP. Will you support Sonia ji’s demand for a caste census? Will it find a mention in even a single speech? How do you plan to ensure representation of OBC women in Parliament?”

Participating in the debate, NCP's Supriya Sule described the Bill as a "post dated cheque" while demanding that the government spell out the timeline for its implementation.

“Why should we not ask for OBC reservation? It is a golden opportunity... With a big heart let's make a constitutional amendment for SC, ST, OBC in the Special Session. Let's send a message to the nation that we are committed to SC, ST and OBC. What's wrong with that? If they have a different view, BJP must clarify that stand,” Sule said.

Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav too demanded quota for OBCs and minorities along with SCs and STs.

JD(U)'s Rajiv Ranjan 'Lalan' Singh claimed that the Bill was a "panic reaction" after the formation of Opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. He said people know the intention of the ruling BJP—that it is not interested in giving quota to women or to the OBCs.

Trinamool Congress' Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar found fault with linking the implementation of women's quota with Census and delimitation.

BSP's Sangeeta Azad said her party will support the Bill even if their demand for increasing the women's quota from 33 per cent to 50 per cent is not accepted. BRS' Nama Nageswara Rao also demanded immediate implementation of the quota.