Yechury seeks early implementation of women’s reservation

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury asserted that early implementation of women's reservation in Parliament and state assemblies was needed.

Patna: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday asserted that early implementation of women’s reservation in Parliament and state assemblies was needed.

Talking to reporters here, he said quotas for women “have been awaited for 25 years” and wondered if “it will be implemented by 2034”.

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Yechury, who will be attending on Thursday the valedictory session of the CPI(M)’s state-level training camp, was approached with queries by journalists at the airport upon arrival.

“Issues like separate quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs were raised when the Bill was last tabled before the Rajya Sabha. These remained unaddressed. It is the job of the government to squarely address these,” said Yechury, himself a former member of the Upper House, reacting to the passing of the latest Bill in the Lok Sabha.

He also said, “The nation has been waiting for women’s reservation for 25 years. Now, clauses like Census and delimitation make us wonder whether it will be implemented by 2034. The government owes an answer on that count, too.” The CPI(M) general secretary also said in reply to a query that before returning from Bihar, he will meet Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad, both of whom are his partners in the opposition INDIA coalition.

He, however, declined to take queries on his party’s decision to not nominate anyone from its ranks to INDIA’s coordination committee.