Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs staged a protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly premises on Wednesday, demanding the implementation of the women's reservation bill. The protest saw lawmakers raising slogans and holding placards, accusing the ruling party of delaying the passage of the bill.
SP's Stance on Women's Reservation
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Lal Bihari Yadav, asserted that the SP has always been a staunch proponent of women's reservation. He criticized the BJP for what he called a lack of commitment to empowering women through legislative measures. Yadav stated, "The Samajwadi Party has consistently supported the women's quota bill, and we demand its immediate passage in Parliament."
Protest Details
The protest took place during the ongoing session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. SP MLAs gathered in the assembly premises, chanting slogans such as "Mahila Aarakshan Bill Lao" (Bring the Women's Reservation Bill). The demonstration lasted for over an hour, disrupting normal proceedings. Security personnel were deployed to manage the situation, but no untoward incident was reported.
The women's reservation bill, which seeks to reserve 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, has been a long-pending demand of various political parties and women's rights groups. While the bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010, it lapsed with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha and has not been re-introduced.
Political Reactions
The BJP responded to the protest by accusing the SP of playing politics over the issue. State BJP spokesperson said, "The BJP is committed to women's empowerment and has already taken several steps in that direction. The SP's protest is merely a political stunt to divert attention from their own failures."
Other opposition parties, including the Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party, have also expressed support for the women's reservation bill. However, they criticized the SP for staging a protest without a unified strategy among opposition parties.
The protest comes amid growing demands from women's organizations for the government to prioritize the bill. Activists argue that despite promises made by various governments, the bill has not been passed due to lack of political will.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly session is expected to continue for the next few days, with the women's reservation bill likely to remain a contentious issue.
