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Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo on Thursday said that the Women's Reservation Bill is void.
Speaking to reporters here in Raipur, Deo said, "The Congress party has always focused on women. Isn't the bill brought by the central government misleading? What did they say? They said that the same will be implemented after the census and delimitation (restructuring parliamentary and assembly constituencies on the basis of the latest population data). Till now, the census has not been conducted and the bill was brought up. What kind of reservation you are granting the women? What is your intention?" "This is void. This is going to be implemented in 2029 after the census and delimitation. They should have brought the bill then. They also did not conduct the census, which was supposed to be conducted in 2021", he added. The Women Reservation Bill,which proposes 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was passed with a brute majority in the Lower House on Wednesday. A whopping 454 members of the Lower House voted for the draft legislation on women's reservation while two voted against the motion seeking the Bill's passage. The Rajya Sabha had earlier passed the Womens Reservation Bill in 2010, during the Congress-led UPA government. However, it was not taken up in the Lok Sabha and subsequently lapsed in the Lower House. The government introduced the women's quota Bill on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the governments intention to bring 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'. Meanwhile, speaking on the list of Congress's candidates for the upcoming state assembly polls, TS Singh Deo said, 'The Congress is not in a hurry. We are reviewing. After this, the list will be released". The Chhattisgarh assembly election is scheduled to be held later this year. In addition, he also spoke on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's visit to the state to hold public rallies. "The Gandhi family has always had a special relationship with Chhattisgarh for a long time. Priyankaji's grandmother (Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) and her father (Former PM Rajiv Gandhi) had always had a special bond with the state. Priyankaji herself has her own image and position in the state", the Deputy CM said. Ahead of the assembly election in Chhattisgarh scheduled later this year, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached Raipur airport on Thursday morning. As per the party, Priyanka Gandhi will address a huge public meeting today as the grand old party stepped up its electoral preparedness in the state. At the airport, the Congress leader was welcomed by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel along with his Deputy T S Singh Deo. The visit comes after the two-day Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Hyderabad. Earlier in the month, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge attended the 'Bharosa Ke Sammelan' event in the state's Rajnandgaon city. The 2023 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be held later this year to elect all 90 members of the House. Congress managed to win 68 seats while BJP was able to ensure victory on 15 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections. Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana will go to polls later this year. (ANI)
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