Sonia echoes Oppn call for OBC quota

BACKING THE CONSTITUTION (One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeking to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, Opposition parties demanded Wednesday that the government implement the proposed legislation "immediately", and conduct a caste census to extend the benefits of this law to women belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

- HARIKISHAN SHARMA & DEEPTIMAN TIWARY 

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said, "Congress party supports this Bill. We are happy with the passing of this Bill, but there is also a concern. I want to ask a question: Indian women have been waiting for their political responsibility for the last 13 years and now they are being asked to wait for a few more years. How many years? 2 years, 4 years, 6 years, 8 years? Is this treatment of Indian women appropriate?"

Demanding that the women's reservation Bill be implemented, she said, "Indian National Congress demands that this Bill should be implemented immediately, but along with it, arrangements should be made for reservation of women belonging to Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe and OBC by conducting caste census. The government must take whatever steps are necessary to make this a reality."

"Any further delay in implementing this bill is a grave injustice to Indian women," she said.