Rahul Gandhi seeks PM Modi's help to pass women's reservation bill, offers unconditional support

New Delhi: Attempting to set the agenda for the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying Women’s Reservation Bill be taken up on a priority for passage. Extending his party’s “unconditional support” to the bill pending before the Lok Sabha, Rahul in his letter to PM re-iterated his party’s support to the bill. “What better way to demonstrate your commitment to the cause of women, than by offering support to the Women’s Reservation Bill,” Rahul wrote to PM. Congress has now launched a ‘mahila Aakrosh' campaign to make the point that despite PM’s claims about caring for women, they have been facing brutal attacks and even the bill has not been taken up by the government. Rahul’s comment came two days after PM Modi accused Congress of being a party of Muslim men and not standing with the Muslim women on the issue of triple talaq. “If Congress is a party meant for Muslims, it’s up to them. But is it a party meant only for Muslim men? Because you don't stand with the Muslim women on issues such as triple talaq and nikah halala,” the PM said. PM Modi further added that the Congress has been stalling the triple talaq bill in the Parliament and is not allowing discussion on the same. In fact Sonia Gandhi had admitted then that many within her party and allies like RJD had opposed the bill which couldn’t be passed in the Lok Sabha. The Women’s Reservation Bill proposes to reserve one-third of the total seats in state Assemblies and parliament for women and was passed by the Rajya Sabha during the UPA rule. The bill has been pending with the lower house. Its passage would require a special two thirds majority since it seeks to amend the Constitution. As the bill was introduced and passed in the Rajya Sabha, it has survived the expiry of the last Lok Sabha by dint of it being initiated in the permanent house of parliament. Source: News18