Lok Sabha Speaker about women reservations

Amaravathi, February 13: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan had argued about women reservations here in the last day of women parliamentary.

Sumitra Mahajan on Sunday said women were entitled to their share of seats in law making bodies and it was the responsibility of the entire nation to ensure that women get their right "respectfully", without any bickering.

Addressing those who had gathered for the valedictory function of the three-day National Women’s Parliament at Pavitra Sangamam near Vijayawada on Sunday, Mahajan said like Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu, who resolved to support 33 percent reservation for the women, they too want the same.

She clarified that seeking 33 percent reservation does not mean that men were making a compromise. "It is because it is important that women should come ahead," she said while adding that women were, after all, fifty percent of the population.

"There should not be any ruckus in Parliament over the issue. The nation has to ensure that women are given their rights," she said.

Mahajan said empowering women meant building a resilient India and ensuring its development. Drawing an analogy between women and rivers she said,"Like a river, she meanders past obstacles. All she wants is her way and that should be respected," she said.

Impressed by the three-day event, she requested Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to conduct the event every year, to which the CM said he was only looking forward to it.

The CM also N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his satisfaction over the overwhelming response the even received and went on to claim that inequality was a thing of the past "in the present era of IT and IoT".

On the occasion, he assured to support the resolutions of the 54 group discussions on various issues that happened during the event and the Amaravati Declaration that was passed at the end of the event.

AP Legislative Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao thanked everyone for making the event a grand success.