The National Coalition for Women’s Reservation (NCWR) organised a joint rally at Jantar Mantar on Friday, demanding the immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies, without linking it to delimitation or the census.
Despite torrential rain, hundreds of women from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and neighbouring states participated in the rally. Carrying banners and placards and raising slogans for greater political representation, the protesters marched from Aditya Sadan to Jantar Mantar, where they held a public meeting amid heavy rainfall.
The coalition said the participation of women, including those carrying young children, reflected their determination to press for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act. Speakers accused the BJP-led Central Government of delaying the implementation of the legislation by making it contingent on the proposed delimitation exercise.
The rally was addressed by AIDWA General Secretary Kaninika Ghosh; AIDWA Vice Presidents Subhashini Ali, Mariam Dhawale and Jagmati Sangwan; NFIW General Secretary Nisha Sidhu; AIPWA General Secretary Shweta Raj; YWCA of India National President Kunjamma Mathew; YWCA of India National General Secretary Dhiya Ann Mathew; Joycia Thorat of ICWM; Bhavna Sharma of Together for Tranquility; and Minakshi Singh of Unity in Compassion.
The speakers criticised the government's reported position of linking implementation of the Women's Reservation Act with delimitation, saying the women's movement and several opposition parties had opposed such a linkage. They demanded that the 33 per cent reservation be implemented without waiting for the proposed delimitation process.
The rally also received solidarity from leaders of allied organisations, including Ashok Dhawale of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Sudeep Datta of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Dinesh Varshney of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Prasenjeet of the All India Students' Association (AISA), and Bittu Kumar of the All India Students' Federation (AISF).
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by AIDWA All India President P. K. Sreemathi.
According to the NCWR, its ongoing dharna at Jantar Mantar will continue until the last day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The coalition also warned that any move by the government to convene a special session of Parliament to advance delimitation and link it with implementation of the Women's Reservation Act through an increase in the number of seats would trigger wider and more united protests by women's organisations across the country.
The NCWR reiterated that it would continue its campaign until 33 per cent reservation for women is implemented without making it conditional on delimitation.
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