Women’s Bill Faces Lash From DMK MP Kanimozhi, Called “Jack-In-The-Box” Bill

On Wednesday, DMK MP Kanimozhi criticized the government for the “veil of secrecy (that) shrouded” the creation and introduction of the women’s reservation bill. The uncompromising Tamil leader further requested that women be allowed to “walk as equals” and that society (and the government) stop “saluting… worshipping” them. “.. don’t want to be called mother, sister or wife… want to be respected as equal”.

Ms. Kanimozhi started by questioning whether the Bharatiya Janata Party had indeed engaged stakeholders before introducing a measure that has been sitting in committee for 27 years and that the opposition claims was hurried to Parliament months before the 2024 general election, as she had been told earlier.

Here’s the statement from DMK MP Kanimozhi

“I myself raised this issue (the women’s bill) many times in Parliament… the government’s reply was very consistent. They said, ‘We have to involve all stakeholders, political parties… and then build a consensus before bringing the bill,” she said as Parliament began its debate on the bill.

“I would like to know what consensus was built… what discussions were held. This bill was brought shrouded in secrecy… we did not know why this (special) session was called for. At the all-party leaders’ meeting there was no mention of this bill… I don’t know if any of the political leaders were called for deliberations. Suddenly the bill popped up on our computers… like a jack-in-the-box.”

“Is this going to be the way this government will function?” she asked with a sarcastic dig at new uniforms – covered with lotus symbols – for Parliament officials, “Like we are suddenly seeing lotuses blooming from the uniforms of secretariat staff. Is everything going to be a surprise like this?”

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History to women’s bill

In her speech, Ms. Kanimozhi also provided a brief overview of the history of the women’s bill, citing each instance in which her party had supported it. She also emphasized the support of her Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for the Congress in claiming what Sonia Gandhi referred to as “apna (our)” measure.

She, like others, criticized the BJP for submitting a law that would need a redrawing of parliamentary districts, or delimitation, which would depend on a national census set for 2027. As a result, the bill would not take effect until after the 2029 general election.

She also emphasized that the bill was unconstrained and would “take effect immediately after the passage” when it was submitted by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance administration in 2010.