While giving credit for the government initiatives in favour of women to Congress, NCP Supremo Sharad Pawar on Tuesday criticized PM Modi for his remarks that “Ghamandiya (arrogant) alliance reluctantly supported the Women's reservation bill in the Parliament".
"PM Modi's criticism is wrong. His statements are painful," Pawar said here while refuting Modi's statement, made at an election rally in Madhya Pradesh yesterday.
“Modi must not have been adequately briefed,” Pawar quipped while stating that Maharashtra set an early example by introducing 30% reservation for women in municipal and district local body elections back in 1994, countering any claims that the country hadn’t previously considered women’s reservation.
Congress, allies wholeheartedly support the bill: Pawar
The former Union Minister also pointed out that barring just two members, the Congress party and its allies wholeheartedly supported the bill in Parliament.
"It was the previous Congress governments in Maharashtra and at the Centre that initiated steps for women’s empowerment. I completely disagree with PM Modi’s statement. On June 24, 1994, the Congress government headed by me in the State unveiled a women’s policy which was the first in the country.
73rd constitutional amendment
“When I was Defence minister, 11% reservation was given to women in Army, Navy and Air Force,” Pawar said, adding that the Congress government at the Centre has bought the 73rd constitutional amendment, which paved the way for 33% quota for women in local bodies.
When asked about it, Pawar also stated that it is his party's demand that the 40% additional export duty on Onion should be immediately done away with.
