Mahila Cong workers to gherao Parliament

CHANDIGARH: Nearly 1,000 women from the city are scheduled to join All India Mahila Congress workers who are planning to gherao Parliament on July 21 to press for approval of Women Reservation Bill.
The Bill envisages 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. This was announced by Major Krishna Mohiny, vice-president of All India Mahila Congress who was on a visit to the city on Friday.Mohiny condemning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that the Bill has not been approved in the Parliament and has been pending for the past six years.
Attacking the BJP leaders for trying to give communal overtones to the Bill, Mohiny said the Congress has been asking for the passage of the Bill ever since it was introduced. ‘‘When POTA was to be passed in Parliament all objections were virtually brushed aside despite it not being in public interest. An important issue like the Women Reservation Bill is being deliberately sidelined and unnecessary hassles are being created to make it impossible for Parliament to pass it.''''
Activists of All-India Mahila Congress are planning to gherao Parliament and submit a memorandum to the President demanding approval of the Bill in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. Activists from several states are likely to participate in the rally and gather at Jantar Mantar on July 21 in preparation of the gherao. Former city Mayor Lalit Joshi, along with two Congress councillors Kamlesh and Pushpa Sharma, will lead Mahila Congress workers of the city.
‘‘Despite Opposition leader Sonia Gandhi pursuing the approval of the Bill which is always tabled in Parliament only to be put off at the last moment. The objective behind gheraoing the Parliament is to get the BJP government to take note of the need for the Bill which will give definite impetus to empowerment women in the country,'''' said Mohiny.
MLA from Solan for two terms, Mohiny was on her first visit to the city after being made vice-president. Touching local issues, she said female foeticide is serious problem and Mahila Congress will soon be active in spreading awareness among women regarding moral and legal implications of the act.