The undersigned national women's organisations strongly oppose the proposed move to pass the Nari Shakti Vandan Act (NSVA) amendments in the upcoming special session of Parliament with haste and without adequate democratic process. It is imperative that a bill of such far-reaching implications should not be passed without consultation with all stakeholders, including women’s organizations, political parties, and civil society groups. The absence of such consultation undermines the spirit of participatory democracy.
We reject any form of conditionality attached to the implementation of women’s reservation. The demand for women’s political representation has been the result of over 30 years of sustained struggle, and it cannot be diluted or deferred through conditions that delay justice.
Further, we do not accept any proposal to increase seats at this stage in a hurried manner as a precondition for implementation. There is no clarity on how the increased seats will be delineated. Such a move is clearly an expression of the patriarchal mindset of the ruling parties and a tactic to postpone the actual realization of women’s representation rather than to ensure it.
Women's reservation is not linked to Census. Hence linking the implementation of reservation to an unspecified future census creates uncertainty and opens the door for indefinite delays.
Women of this country have fought long and hard for their rightful place in legislative bodies. Once again, the NDA govt under Narendra Modi's leadership is trying to use Women's Reservation in decision making bodies issue as a tool to gain electoral benefits. Earlier Modi goverenment passed the NSVA without disclosing the details to the public before Bihar assembly elections.
Once again, a special session of parliament is convened to bring the WR(NSVA) amendment bill. The new bill proposes amendments in previous conditionalities of Census and Delimitation. The intention of the govt is clear. The timing of bringing such a significant bill in the midst of the ongoing electoral processes raises serious concerns. Passing a legislation of this magnitude between elections is against all democratic norms and limits the scope for public debate and accountability.
Women have struggled long and hard for their rightful place in legislative bodies for 30 years since WRB was first tabled in parliament. Long campaigns, protests, dharnas, parliament gheraos, memorandums and even through courts - all measures were taken to get WRB passed.
In parliament, Geeta Mukherjee, who headed a standing committee on WR, relentlessly advocated the passing of this bill. This historic struggle cannot be allowed to go in vain through half-hearted or strategically delayed measures.
We therefore demand:
1. Remove the conditionalities of the Census and Delimitation in the 2023 bill and ensure immediate implementation of the women’s reservation bill as passed earlier.
2. The ST/SC reservation is included in the women's reservation. The issue of reservation for OBC women needs to be taken into consideration.
3. The linkage with delimitation is totally wrong as women’s reservation is not based on population.
4. The women’s reservation is a stand-alone step which should be delinked from other agendas.
5. Proper consultation with all stakeholders.
6. Withdrawal of any attempt to pass the bill in haste without debate in an democratic manner.
7. Women’s organisations who have spearheaded the struggle will oppose it being hijacked by the Modi govt through such manipulation.
We reiterate that women’s empowerment cannot be reduced to symbolic gestures. It must be realized through sincere, transparent, and time-bound action.
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDIAN WOMEN (NFIW)
ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION (AIDWA)
ALL INDIA PROGRESSIVE WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION AIPWA)
ALL INDIA COORDINATION POW-PMS-IJM (AI POW-PMS-IJM)
