New Delhi : Demanding immediate implementation of 33 percent women reservation in legislative bodies, the All India Mahila Congress today announced to launch a nationwide agitation on July 29, from Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Announcing this here today, president of the All India Mahila Congress, Alka Lamba said, besides the immediate implementation of the women reservation, their demand was safety and security of women and implementation of Mahalakshmi Scheme, which was promised by the Congress in its manifesto, that guarantees payment of Rs one lakh cash assistance every year to one woman in every poor family across the country.
She pointed out, the Modi government had passed the women reservation law before the 2024 General Elections but kept its implementation pending. She said, the reservation law should be implemented immediately so that women of Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra – where elections are scheduled later this year – can benefit from it.
Referring to rising crime against women in the country, she disclosed that 20 thousand cases of crime against women were reported in Rajasthan in the last 6 months.
Putting forth the demands, she said, under the political empowerment and participation of women, the Women’s Reservation Act has to be implemented immediately with special provision for reservation of SC/ST and OBC women.
Alka Lamba said, under economic empowerment, to provide relief to half of the country’s population, which is fighting against rising inflation and unemployment, one woman from every poor family should be given Rs 1,00,000 annually or Rs 8,500 per month.
Drawing attention towards the continuously rising crime against women across the country, she said, there was no fear of law among the criminals.
She referred to the incident of two women buried alive in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. She said, the silence of people who matter was intriguing.
The Mahila Congress president mentioned the case of the gang-rape and murder of a 30-year-old woman in Maharashtra, saying had the police acted on time, her life could have been saved.
Alka Lamba said, this movement for justice of women will start from the national capital Delhi and will reach every state, every district, every city and every village until the demands of half of the country’s population are met and they are given their rights and security.
She disclosed that the Mahila Congress will also submit a memorandum to the President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister and the Lok Sabha Speaker to press for its demands.
She said she has been assured by the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and general secretary organisation KC Venugopal that the issue will be raised in both houses of the Parliament also.
