Dy CMs hail move, lash out at SP

Lucknow: Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Thursday welcomed the proposed implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, calling it one of the most significant days in the country’s history.Maurya also welcomed the delimitation bill introduced in Parliament, saying it would lead to an increase in Lok Sabha seats across states.“We welcome this decision,” he said.Targeting Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav over his reported opposition to the bill, Maurya said those resisting the measure would be “punished by half the population”, while the BJP would receive the blessings of women voters.He accused Yadav of being “anti-women” and said he could never work for their welfare. Referring to the SP’s demand for separate reservation for Muslim women, Maurya said parties were free to decide what they wished to provide within their own organisations, but should not obstruct the women’s reservation legislation.Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak also backed the move, saying the special session of Parliament had been convened to pass the amended legislation in both Houses and ensure women receive their rightful representation.Launching a counterattack on SP, Pathak said the Constitution framed by B R Ambedkar does not link reservation with religion.Pathak further alleged that raising demands for religion-based reservation was against the spirit of the Constitution and urged the Samajwadi Party to apologise to the people and support the passage of the amended women’s reservation bill.