Storming the Parliament for Passage of Women’s Reservation Bill on Women’s Day

On 8th March 2018, to mark International Women’s Day, several women’s groups, including women wing of political parties, protested outside the Parliament to convey the urgency regarding passage of Women’s Reservation Bill.

Name of the participants– Ms Sushmita Dev, Member of Parliament, INC, Ms Sharmistha Mukherjee, Spokesperson, INC, other members of INC, Dr Ranjana Kumari, Director Centre for Social Research, Archana Jha (CSR), CSR team members and other Women’s organizations.

Hundreds of women, including leaders of Indian National Congress (INC) and leaders of women’s organizations, stormed Parliament on the 8^th of March in protest against non-passage of Women’s Reservation Bill. Women dressed in red showed their anger towards the non-passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill outside the Parliament. The objective of the protest was to attract the government’s attention for the passage of the Bill in the current session of the Parliament. Women outside the Parliament demanded immediate passage of Bill through Slogans, calling out phrases such as ‘Beti Ko Sadan mei lao’ and protesting against the present government’s non- action towards the bill. They were stopped by police from entering Parliament and were taken to the Parliament Street Police Station.

Dr Ranjana Kumari said “It is very disappointing that despite having full majority and consensus among political parties, the Bill has not been passed, we are left with only one year of the 16^th Lok Sabha, the government should immediately table and pass the bill in the Lok Sabha. She told that women have been actively participating in every spheres of life and they are capable of holding all political responsibilities”

Ms Sushmita Deb said “The Government has taken no action for passage of the Bill for the last four years and women of the country have been cheated by false promises made by the government”

Ms Sharmistha Mukherjee said “It is government’s duty to take measures to pass the Bill, our party has provided full support for the Bill , but the government is non committal for passage of the Bill despite promising the same in their election manifesto 2014”

Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia MP, INC, visited Parliament Street Police station and made efforts for release of all arrested.

It was the collective demand of those present in the protest march that the bill be tabled and passed during the current ongoing session of Parliament.

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