There will be no change in ratio: PM Modi responds to Oppn in Lok Sabha

PRime government minister Narendra Modi on th assured lawmakers that amendments to hasten 33% women’s reserve by 2029 – which includes the purvey of increasing the overall seats in the Lok Sabha by 50% and carrying out delimitation on the basis of the latest available census, effectively the 2011 one – will not discriminate against or do injustice to anyone.Speaking in the Lok Sabha, the PM sought to allay concerns of the opposition parties that the bills will result in the Southern states losing their relative political power in Parliament and that the bills are drawn with an eye on electoral benefits for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. He also cautioned that parties who opposed women’s reservation in the past have had to pay a heavy price and for a long time.Also Read: Bigger Lok Sabha may come at cost of diluted debate, scrutiny and accountability“Delimitation that happened earlier, there will be no change in that anupat (ratio)...” he said, assuring that the proportional representation of states in Parliament will remain the same and the increase in the number of seats will not change the relative strengths. “If you need a guarantee, I give you a guarantee; if you need a promise, I make a promise... Because if the intention is clear, there is no need for wordplay,” the PM added.The Opposition has questioned the government over no mention in the bill of the proportional representation remaining the same. They also demanded to know why the assurance of a blanket 50% increase in the number of seats was not included in the bill.But Modi dismissed the concerns. Asserting that the government’s intent to fast track the roll out of 33% quotas for women in Parliament and assemblies was to make amends for denying women their rightful space in decision making, he said, “ We should not mislead ourselves into thinking that we are giving something to the women…It is their right, which we have held back for several decades. Today is the opportunity to atone for the sins…” The PM urged the opposition leaders to set aside political differences to pass the constitution amendment bill that requires a two-third majority for passage. He reiterated the appeal in the Lok Sabha, saying that there was no personal glory driving him to push for the legislation.“If we all come together, it (decision) will not go in favor of any one person or party. It will go in favor of the country’s democracy, the country’s collective decision-making power, and we will all share the glory…” he said.“ People think there is my self interest .. If you oppose it, it is obvious it will be. But if we all go together then no one benefits. We do not want credit. I am ready to give credit,” he added.Making a case for the passage of the bills, the PM said the issue has been debated for a long time, and the time had come for women to be given their space in decision making. He said the concept of Viksit Bharat or developed India was not limited to infrastructure and economic development alone, but that it envisaged that 50% of the population should be part of policy making. He said people who wanted progress and success in political life will have to agree that there were lakhs of women at the grassroots level who were leaders. “In the last 25-30 years women, who won at the grassroots level in panchayat elections, have (acquired) political consciousness. Earlier, they stayed quiet, understood but didn’t speak.They are opinion makers, they are vocal. They are agitated and they want to be added to decision making, which happens in legislatures,” he said.In response to the demand from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for creating quotas for other backward classes women as well, the PM said, “Let 33% women come, they will decide who will come…why doubt their political acumen.” The BJP has earlier pointed out that since there was no constitutional provision for OBC reservation, there could not be any quotas within quotas.He said if the implementation of women’s quota was not done by 2029, the parties will not be in a position to convince women of their seriousness. “Nirnay se zyada hamari neeyat ko dekhege…neeyat ki khot nari shakti kabhi maaf nahi kare gi…(more than the decision, it is the intent that will be examined and any ill intention will not be forgiven by the women” he said.