New Delhi, April 17 Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee launched a scathing critique of the Narendra Modi government on Friday, accusing it of short-changing and deceiving 'Nari Shakti' by clubbing women's reservation with the Delimitation Bill and thereby, stymying one at the expense of other.
The Trinamool MP, joining the marathon debate on three contentious Bills on Day 2 in the Parliament, termed it a "total drama" and said that this was nothing else but a political gimmick by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Kalyan Banerjee also questioned the Centre's "intent and will" to give women their right and dared it to bring a proposal to effect 50 per cent reservation.
"Women reservation can be done in a single day, problem is that you neither have the guts not the intention to do the same. You announce 50 per cent reservation for women, we will support it right away."
While drawing a parallel between women representation in Trinamool Congress and BJP, Kalyan Banerjee said that the latter must practice what it preaches.
He called out BJP's "poor record" of giving representation to women in the party as well as Parliament and contrasted it with that of Trinamool Congress, where, he claimed that women account for more than 40 per cent membership.
"In 2023, you (BJP) said that women reservation will be effected after Delimitation and Census but by notifying the same last night, you have made a mockery of entire Parliamentary democracy into mockery," Kalyan Banerjee remarked.
The Trinamool Congress MP further, pointing to existing convention of Census preceding Delimitation, said that the constitutional procedures must be restored for democratic balance.
"First delimitation was conducted in 1953 (Census in 1951), second delimitation in 1963 (Census in 1961), third delimitation in 1973 (Census in 1971), fourth delimitation in 2002 (Census in 2001)," he told the House.
Launching a pointed attack at the Union government, Kalyan Banerjee said that the women reservation should be done as per constitutional practices and not as per convenience.
"Women's reservation is not for bargain, the "Nari Shakti" must be respected and revered," he noted, gesturing towards the Treasury benches.
Further taking jibe at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Kalyan Banerjee suggested that the easiest solution would be effecting 50 per cent for women in all the Ministries.
"Prime Minister's post should also be reserved for women, Speaker's post can also be kept for women as the BJP will not return to power in 2029. We fully support 50 per cent reservation for women," he suggested derisively.
"Delimitation is political gimmick and nothing else, you don't have an intention to give reservation to women, the BJP and the Prime Minister are doing a drama over women reservation," the Trinamool Congress MP claimed.
Targeting the convening of special session of Parliament in the middle of election, Kalyan Banerjee said that this is a brazen assault on democracy and allows no level-playing field for the political parties, as many are caught up in state elections.
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