'It is ours', says Sonia Gandhi on Women's Reservation Bill

Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday reacted to the Union Cabinet clearing the long-awaited Women’s Reservation Bill, saying “it is ours”.

Sonia Gandhi's sharp reply came after she arrived at Parliament on Tuesday morning.

When enquired about the Women’s Reservation Bill being brought in Parliament again, she said, “It is ours, apna hai.”

Her remarks came a day after the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime MInister Narendra Modi approved the Constitution Amendment Bill to provide reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies -- paving the way for the introduction of the historic bill in the ongoing special session of Parliament.

The Congress in the recently concluded two-day Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the party's highest decision making body, in its resolution has demanded the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Parliament Special Session.

On Monday, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP leader Supriya Sule, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded the passage of the Bill in the Special Session.

The Bill seeking to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women was first moved by the H.D. Deve Gowda government in 1996.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government then reintroduced the legislation, officially known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Eighth Amendment) Bill, in 2008.

The legislation was passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010, but it could not be passed in the Lok Sabha and it lapsed following its dissolution in 2014.