Congress' pan-India movement for early implementation of women's quota

Seeking early implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act in actual action, All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba announced on Thursday, 25 July that a nationwide protest against the delay would be launched on 29 July.

Lamba emphasised that political participation is the first step to empowering women, and called for the swift application of the Women’s Reservation Act.

Popularly known as the Women's Reservation Bill, 2023 (formally, the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), this legislation was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 19 September 2023, during a special session of Parliament.

The bill, which was passed by both houses of Parliament almost unanimously on 21 September — with just two votes against — ensures that women will occupy at least 33 per cent of the seats in state legislative assemblies and in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters, Lamba said, “The Indian National Mahila Congress, a key organisation of the Indian National Congress, will commence a nationwide movement from Jantar Mantar in the national capital on 29 July (Monday). This movement will focus on three major demands from the central government.”

The Mahila Congress chief outlined three main demands:

• ensuring reservation and participation for the most backward classes

• providing relief to women affected by rising inflation and unemployment

• and upholding the right to social justice and security.

Referring to the Congress party’s Nari Nyaya ('justice for women') initiative, mentioned in its 2024 Lok Sabha election manifesto, Lamba reiterated the party’s promise to provide Rs 1 lakh annually (or Rs 8,500 per month) to the women heading poor families. “We demand that financial assistance of Rs 8,500 be directly deposited into their bank accounts,” she asserted.

Referring to the third demand, of social justice and security, Lamba said “Crimes against women are continuously increasing across the country, and fear of the law among criminals is waning.

"Additionally, there are recent cases of a 30-year-old woman being gang-raped and murdered in Navi Mumbai, and a 9-year-old girl being raped and murdered in Thane district, Maharashtra,” Lamba added.

The Mahila Congress president further added: