Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said that the NDA dispensation will pass the long-pending Women's Reservation Bill, providing for 33 per cent reservation to the fair sex, once the Government gets majority in Rajya Sabha.
“Once we get majority in Rajya Sabha, our Government, after having consensus with other political parties, will ensure its passage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has this in mind. Once we (NDA) get majority in Rajya Sabha, we will get the Bill passed after having consensus with other political parties,” said the Union Urban Development Minister at the inaugural session of the three-day National Women’s Parliamentary Conference at Andhra Pradesh Capital Amaravati.
Stressing that women cannot be left behind as far as her rights are concerned, Naidu said that it is high time that the women are empowered as they constitute 50 per cent of the population. While emphashing that employment is the most powerful tool for real empowerment of women, he said that even India's traditional culture too has encouraged equality in all sphere to the women in the society.
Echoing similar views, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu enlisted various steps that his Government has taken for empowerment of the women in his State. Terming the conference as ‘historic’— being held at the confluence of rivers Godavari and Krishna- Chandrababu said that it was the founder president of TDP, late NT Ramarao, who gave shape to the Property Rights to Women. “Other States and Centre too have followed the suit,” he said while hailing the Prime Minister for measures aimed to empower women in the country.
Though the conclave, ‘empowering women-strengthening democracy’, was supposed to be inaugurated by Modi via video conference, it was cancelled because of his preoccupation.
The first-of-its kind event is aimed to connect over 10,000 socio-politically sensitive girl students of higher education with around 405 women legislators, 92 women MPs and 300 social/corporate women leaders of India and overseas.
Asking women to play a more active role in all sectors, Buddhist spiritual guru Dalai lama said, "They cannot remain indifferent." "This century should be the century of dialogue and compassion," he maintained and advised women to develop self-confidence and determination.
Shirin Sharmin Chaudhary, Speaker of Jatiyo Sanghshad (Parliament of Bangladesh), felt that political reservation was must for women empowerment which, in turn, is essential condition for achieving an inclusive society. Others who attended the inaugural session included Puducherry lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi, actress Manisha Koirala and women activist Ranjana Kumari.
The conclave spanning three days will have various sessions dealing with socio-political challenges in women empowerment, building own identity and vision of the future, women's status and decision making power, be your own hero and building bonds between mentor and mentees.
On the third day, there will be a “Walk for Women Empowerment” wherein all the participant girl students as well as women legislators will walk for women empowerment.
The NWP will come out with the Amaravati Declaration on women empowerment at the end of the three-day deliberations, said Dr Renuka, spokesperson of the TDP and convenor of the event.