NEW DELHI: Chants of “Modi Modi” were raised by female MPs as they took turns thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the passage of the landmark women’s reservation Bill, appropriately named “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,” which was passed by the Parliament on Thursday and represents a significant step in the empowerment of one-half of the country’s population. PT Usha and the Union Ministers Meenakashi Lekhi and Smriti Irani were among the female members of both Houses of Parliament who gave Prime Minister Modi a bouquet in congratulation of the Bill’s historic passage. The proposed legislation, which has been a major topic of discussion in the country and even appeared on the Parliament’s legislative agenda, was ultimately released on Thursday. 214 members of the Rajya Sabha voted in favour of the Bill, which guarantees women a 33% reservation in both the Parliament and state legislative bodies, while none opposed it. The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill unanimously on Thursday. Chants of “Modi, Modi” rang out in the new Parliament complex as the female MPs surrounded Prime Minister Modi and complimented him as both Houses were adjourned sine die after the women’s quota passed the final legislative test in the Upper House. The Bill passed the Lok Sabha’s legislative test earlier on Wednesday by a landslide margin of 454 votes in favour to 2 votes against. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 was the subject of a daylong debate in the Upper House, to which Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had made a brief response, stating that it would be enacted after following the proper procedures. Prior to the vote, PM Modi encouraged the Rajya Sabha members to approve the Bill with all of their votes. He claimed that the Bill will give the populace new faith and trust. “All members and political parties have contributed significantly to the advancement of ‘Nari Shakti’ and the empowerment of women. Let’s send a clear message to the nation,” he urged.More than 132 members of either House participated in the substantive discussion on the proposed legislation, according to PM Modi, which will help move the nation forward. The opposition members’ changes were rejected, and the draught legislation’s individual clauses were put to a vote. The Bill’s passage was announced by Jagdeep Dhankhar, the chairman of the Rajya Sabha. It’s a historic accomplishment. I’m happy for you,” he said. According to the Hindu calendar, today is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, he claimed, so it is only a coincidence. Following the chairman’s comments, PM Modi lowered his hands. The first Bill passed by Parliament when it moved to the new Parliament building on Tuesday is the “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.” Regarding Rahul Gandhi’s comments about the “five percent” representation of OBCs among the secretaries in different ministries, Kharge cited BJP chairman JP Nadda’s jab at the Congress leader. “JP Nadda made fun of us for calling for greater representation of OBCs among cabinet secretaries. Do you employ members of the SC and ST communities as joint or major secretaries? People from the RSS have been hired, and each minister has an RSS member, according to Kharge. He stated that if the government chooses, it can begin implementing it after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He also pushed for OBC reservations in the legislation. Nirmala Sitharaman, the finance minister, stated that the Bill is a tenet of the BJP in her statements. As a result, there has been a groundswell at the panchayat level, where the current 33 percent reservation has been expanded to 50 percent by many states, demonstrating the contribution of women there, she said. “In subjects pertaining to women, we do not engage in political games. The Prime Minister takes it as a matter of faith, therefore we follow through on all of our previous initiatives, including the Women’s Reservation Bill and Article 370. She responded to inquiries from opposition members over the delay in the bill’s implementation. “Whenever the first census occurs and the relevant figures for that census are published, a new delimitation exercise shall be undertaken,” she added. “After the Bill is enacted and after the Bill comes into operation.” When Kharge asked Meghwal when the Bill will go into effect, Meghwal said that there should be no doubts. Don’t be sceptical about the implementation of “Modi Hai Toh Mum, Kin Hai,” he urged. The first vote was cast in the new Rajya Sabha chamber, and there was an electronic display. The Women’s Reservation Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010 while the UPA was run by the Congress, but the Lok Sabha was unable to take it up. The new Women’s Reservation Bill was approved by Parliament during the Special Session that started on Monday.
