New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday began the discussion on the Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha on the third day of the special session of Parliament.

Extending her support to the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023’ Bill, Sonia Gandhi demanded its immediate implementation.

She said that a delay in implementing the bill is a gross unfairness to the women of the country.

“I stand in support of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhinyam 2023. Women are being told that they will have to wait more for this bill to become law. we demand that the bill be made a law immediately. As a delay in implementing the bill is a gross unfairness to women in the country. I appeal to the Government to do this immediately,” Sonia Gandhi said in Lok Sabha.

She also demanded the conducting of a caste census to ensure the participation of women belonging to Other Backward Class/Scheduled Caste (OBC/SC) communities.

Ahead of her speech in Lok Sabha Sonia Gandhi said, “It was Rajiv ji's (Gandhi's) dream (Bill).”

"This is an emotional moment of my own life as well. For the first time, Constitutional amendment to decide women's representation in local body election was brought by my life partner Rajiv Gandhi. It was defeated in Rajya Sabha by seven votes. Later, Congress Government, under the leadership of PM PV Narasimha Rao, passed it in Rajya Sabha. As a result, we have 15 lakh elected women leaders across the country through local bodies. Rajiv Gandhi's dream is only partially complete. It will complete with the passing of this Bill," Sonia Gandhi said in Lok Sabha. 

She said the Congress party supports this Bill and is happy regarding the passage of the Bill but said there were concerns.

“I would like to ask a question. Indian women have been waiting for their political responsibilities for the last 13 years. Now they are being asked to wait for a few more years. How many years? Is this behaviour with Indian women appropriate? INC demands that the Bill be implemented with immediate effect but Caste census should also be done and arrangement for reservation of SC, ST and OBC women should be made..." Sonia Gandhi said.

Discussion for passing of the Bill in the House began today at 11 with Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introducing the amendments in the Bill.

The Bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on September 21, government sources said.