Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Lok Sabha, highlighting the BJP and Jan Sangh’s historical support for enhancing women’s involvement in politics. He emphasized the rise in women’s representation in Lok Sabha over the years, from 22 members in the first session to 75 in the current one. Shah stressed the need for a broader platform to further boost women’s participation in politics.
Shah praised the government’s efforts in promoting women’s empowerment and acknowledged women leaders like Uma Bharti, Anandiben Patel, Sushma Swaraj, and Vasundhara Raje for their significant roles in state governance. He contrasted the BJP’s record of appointing women as Chief Ministers with the Congress party’s history of never having a female Chief Minister.
During the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill, Shah defended the BJP’s commitment to women’s political representation, aiming to dispel any notion of opportunism. The discussions in Parliament revolved around the link between women’s reservation, delimitation, and the proposed Lok Sabha seat increase. The government argued that these measures are crucial to maintain the existing number of general seats.
Shah’s speech underscored the government’s enduring dedication to empowering women in politics, tracing back to the Jan Sangh era. His remarks are anticipated to influence further deliberations and voting on the Bills in the upcoming sessions.
