'Fight for credit should end': Sanjay Raut on Women's Reservation Bill

NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said on Wednesday that the Women's Reservation Bill is for the entire nation so there should be no fight over the credit for the bill. "The fight for credit should end...This work (Women's Reservation Bill) is for the entire nation...It is your (BJP) government at present, it may be some other government (in rule) tomorrow. If you (BJP) talk about women then why do you fight over credit...You have brought the bill, you have tabled it, you've shown the courage and we appreciate your courage," said Raut.

Meanwhile, ahead of the discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha on the third day of the ongoing Parliament special session, the INDIA bloc held a meeting to chalk out the strategy for the floor of the house. The meeting was held at the office of Rajya Sabha leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament.

On Tuesday, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in the first sitting of Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building. The bill has been named Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. In 2008, the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government tabled the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, and it was passed in 2010.

However, the Bill was never taken up for consideration in the Lok Sabha. Introducing the bill in the house, Meghwal said "This bill is in relation to women empowerment. By amending Article 239AA of the Constitution, 33 percent of seats will be reserved for women in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. Article 330A reservations of seats for SC/ST in the House of People."