MP’s should take a collective pledge to pass 33% Women Reservation Bill on the eve of IWD

Today is the International Women’s day and this day holds historic significance for India, particularly, as it comprises of the 50% women population. Being the second largest democracy of the globe women play an extremely pivotal role in our country’s polity and various other spheres of life. After achieving independence from the colonialists seventy years ago, while India has progressed by leaps and bounds, rising up from the scratch, its today one of the leading world leaders in the international scenerio.

We have women in union and state cabinets, parliament, state legislatures, panchayats, municipal corporations, in government and private sectors, sports, foreign affairs, judiciary, theatre, Bollywood, Army, Navy Air Force, journalism, literature, police, paramilitary,civil services, medical profession and every where bringing laurels in each and every field but still lot needs to be done to empower them socially, politically, economically and industrially. The women empowerment starts from the top and 33% reservation in parliament is the core issue that can make them empowered fully as its primarily the executive and top decision making bodies at the Executive level which can instill in them a larger sense of responsibilities and feeling of autonomous leadership to move forward thus thinking of empowering their sisters at a broader national level through enactment of women friendly progressive laws.

Unfortunately, granting of 33% reservation in parliament and state legislatures has gone into cold storage despite so much of hullaballoo in the past. All political parties irrespective of their ideological differences should come forward to pass this long pending bill to finally make it a law. The issue of women safety and increasing rapes and sexual molestation is another most important issue that needs to be addressed on a war footing.

There are more than 37 thousands cases of rapes, molestation and sexual assaults of women existing with a shameful rape being committed every 15 minutes. This needs to be tackled and countered speedily and most emphatically by the stake holders, the police, NGOs, women bodies and various law enforcing agencies. International women’s day is celebrated every year on 8th March with full pomp and show with promises and pledges to empower and safeguard the women community but not much seems to have been done or executed on the women safety front with cases of rapes and women insecurity increasing manifold despite so much of stringent laws.

In rural India, today 80% of the women are still devoid of education, health facilities, jobs, education and leading insecure lives. However, it’s a welcome decision that on this day today the Delhi Police have launched a women petrol service in Delhi that will ensure the women’s security in the country’s capital. Initially it will have 16 women bikers and several women police petrol to ensure adequate women safety. Such model should be followed by other state police as well. Let’s hope that our political parties and their leaders from all hues will arrive at unanimity and expeditiously pass the 33% women’s reservation bill in both the houses of parliament before 2019.

The primary responsibility lies on Prime minister Narendra Modi to take the cudgels in his hand and make this long term dream a true reality. What do you say friends?
SUNIL NEGI