Women’s Bill brought with intention to ‘allure’ women before upcoming elections, says Mayawati

As the Women’s Reservation Bill is debated in the Lok Sabha, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) head Mayawati claimed in a media briefing on Wednesday that the Bill is a “allurement” to women in preparation for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

She also asserted that the bill is not designed to give women reservations. “According to this bill, the reservation will not be provided to women in the country in the coming 15-16 years. After the passing of this bill, it wouldn’t be implemented immediately. First, a census of the country would be conducted and after this delimitation of seats would be done,” Mayawati said during a press briefing.

She added, “A census takes a lot of time…After this, only this bill would be implemented…It is clear that this bill was not brought with the intention of giving reservations to women. But to give an allurement to the women before the upcoming elections.”

Earlier on Tuesday, she confirmed her party’s and other parties’ support for the Women’s Reservation law, which was introduced in Parliament, while calling for a distinct quota for women from the OBC, SC, and ST sectors in the reservation in the law.

“Along with BSP, most of the parties will give their vote in the favour of Women’s Reservation Bill. We expect that after the discussion this bill will get passed this time as it has been pending for a long,” she said.