Lucknow,

April 15 (HS): BSP president Mayawati pushed on Wednesday for a separate quota

for women from SC, ST, and OBC under the proposed 33% reservation for women in

Lok Sabha and state assemblies, claiming that the absence of such a provision

would substantially invalidate the measure's genuine goal. Addressing a limited

group of reporters here, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said that the

Centre had called a three-day special session of Parliament to discuss women's

reservation. She stated that, while her party supports the initiative to

forward the process of granting 33% reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and

state legislatures, there are genuine concerns that women from the SC, ST, and

OBC communities will not benefit fully in the absence of a distinct quota for

them.

Without

such a provision, she continued, the true goal of women's reservation would be

significantly undermined. Mayawati stated that while there is considerable

discussion about women's empowerment in the country, a lack of genuine aim,

policy, and strong political will has hampered its honest execution. As a

result, women, like marginalized groups, continue to endure horrors, injustice,

and exploitation, which show no indications of abating, she stated.

She

also stated that her party has repeatedly wanted 50% reservation for women from

all sectors in accordance to their numbers, but no political party looks

inclined to accept it owing to interests and compulsions.

The

BSP supremo stated that women's reservation should be seen in terms of safety,

dignity, and upliftment rather than political concerns, warning that otherwise

feudal and casteist forces may continue to rule and rob women of the benefits

it is designed to provide. She stated that now that Parliament has moved

forward with giving women with legislative reservations, no barriers should be

erected in its implementation. Mayawati questioned why the Congress was

suddenly addressing the subject of sub-quotas for SC, ST, and OBC women,

claiming that it had disregarded the problem during its reign and dismissed the

BSP's proposal owing to casteist bias.

Referring

to B R Ambedkar's efforts, she stated that he worked to protect women's

equality and dignity through constitutional provisions and the Hindu Code Bill,

which she claimed was weakened and enacted in sections by the then-Congress administration.

She also mentioned that Ambedkar resigned as the country's first law minister

for a number of concerns, including a failure to take tangible moves toward

backward class reservation and women's rights. Mayawati stated that in light of

the country's deteriorating women's situation, it would be preferable to

elevate the subject above narrow party politics and adopt women's reservation

as soon as possible in order to bring about some progress. People should also

change their mindsets about women's safety, dignity, and empowerment, she

added.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi