Congress U-turn on women's Bill, backs quota within quota

Aditi Tandon

Udaipur, May 14

On election losing spree, the Congress today proposed a range of reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs across the job and political spectrum, even eschewing its own past resistance to quota within quota under Women’s Reservation Bill in the name of inclusion.

Demand to appoint Priyanka Cong chief

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Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot stressed collective leadership to revive the party and win back Rajasthan in 2023. He has been vying for state CM-ship for a long time now.

From job quotas in the private sector and OBC reservation in state Assemblies and Parliament to 50 per cent reservation for weaker sections across all AICC levels, the Congress panel deliberating social justice issues further backed the demand for caste-based census.

Through a social justice advisory council to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and a data gathering wing on social engineering indicators, the panel proposes to woo back the segment that has progressively veered away from the party, especially in UP.

The starkest panel decision today pertained to the party’s stand on the Women’s Reservation Bill which had failed the Lok Sabha test in 2010 despite passing through Rajya Sabha.

The principal reason for the LS bump was then ruling Congress’ resistance to coalition partners’ (RJD, BSP, SP and JDU) demand of reserving seats for SC, ST and OBC women within the larger bill proposing 33 per cent reservation for women in the Parliament and state Assemblies.

Explaining the volte face, panel convener Salman Khurshid said the past decision was a conscious strategic one to get the law passed first and consider the fragmentation later.

Panel member K Raju said, “The panel has proposed amendments to the Congress constitution to enhance reservation for weaker sections from 20 to 50 per cent from booth to CWC levels.”