Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 13 (ANI): Noting that the move to expedite Women’s Reservation and delimitation are different issues, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has said that Chief Ministers of Southern states have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government should discuss with opposition parties on what basis it is proposing to increase seats in Lok Sabha.
He proposed a hybrid model that 50 per cent (136) of the proposed increase in seats should be given as per GSDP, and the remaining 50% “should be given as per their proposal”.
“This is a very important issue related to the public. The Centre is to conduct a Parliament session for the Women’s Reservation and Delimitation. The central government is trying to show both Women’s Reservation and Delimitation as one and saying that the opposition is against it. Actually, Women’s Reservation and Delimitation are both different issues. They are portraying that the Congress is anti-women’s reservation bill. The Congress is the party which has given equal voting rights to women. They haven’t had reservations for the last ten years during PM Modi’s rule,” he said.
He alleged that delimitation is “a political tool being used by PM Narendra Modi”.
“I want to tell PM Modi, that we want to extend full support to Women’s Reservation. We don’t even want a discussion on this in the upcoming parliament session. Delimitation is a political tool being used by PM Narendra Modi. The CMs of the South have written a letter to PM Modi stating that the South states will face grave injustice if the number of seats doesn’t increase in the South. If 50% seats are increased in Kerala, only 10 seats will be increased, and in UP, 40 seats will be increased,” he added.
He said there is a huge difference between the number of seats in the South and the North.
“The increased seats will give undue advantage. No important post has been given to the South…. The South is already weak, and the North, which is already strong, is being further strengthened. PM Modi should call the opposition for a discussion to discuss the basis on which the seats are being increased. I want to propose a hybrid model, 50%, which is 136 seats, should be given as per GSDP, which state is contributing more, 50% should be given as per their proposal,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Nari Shakti Vandan programme at Vigyan Bhawan today and said India is about to take one of the biggest decisions of the 21st century, “a decision dedicated to Nari Shakti”.
Describing the moment as historic, the Prime Minister said the Parliament is close to creating a new history that will fulfill the visions of the past and the resolutions of the future.
Emphasizing the importance of social justice, he stressed that the country envisions an egalitarian India where social justice is not merely a slogan but an integral part of the work culture. “The wait of decades, from state assemblies to the nation’s Parliament, is coming to an end,” he said.
Recalling the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act in the new Parliament building in 2023, the Prime Minister noted that it was passed unanimously with all parties agreeing that it should be implemented by 2029 in any case. PM Modi remarked that the Nari Shakti Vandan Act must be implemented on time so that women’s participation strengthens democracy, for which a special session of Parliament’s Budget Session will begin from April 16. “Our effort and priority is that this work should be accomplished through dialogue, cooperation and participation, which will enhance the dignity of Parliament,” he said.
The Parliament is set to meet on April 16, 17,18 in a special sitting of the budget session to discuss amendment to Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 and a proposed Delimitation Bill to implement the one-third reservation for women legislators. (ANI)