- 3 hours ago
During a special session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a collective decision on the Women's Reservation Bill, stating, 'there is no need to give it a political colour' and that the move would strengthen Indian democracy.
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00:00Good evening, warm welcome. We are watching India Today. I'm Preeti Chaudhary. We come to you from Bengal right now
00:05in Asana, Seoul.
00:07But so much going on in the national capital.
00:10A historic three-day session that has been called by the government hoping to implement women reservation but fair amount
00:17of trust deficit where the opposition comes into question.
00:21And ultimately what happened in parliament was a full-blown political blowout.
00:25You had the prime minister who put forth the view of the government suggesting it's history that could be etched
00:32this time around.
00:33You had Priyanka Gandhi who attacked the government suggesting that it is not representation of women that the government really
00:40wants but an eye on delimitation where they want to use women as a political tool.
00:46It was echoed by Akhile Shandav as well who said that the government doesn't really want nari shakti but want
00:53to use nari as a political nara, a political campaign or slogan.
00:58All of that that transpired in parliament today. Listen in.
01:04All of that people are going.
01:13foreign
01:14foreign
01:14foreign
01:14foreign
01:15very, very long-term living sometimes.
01:18It is my strength here all,
01:23and all of us will be a part of the existence.
01:28There will be a part of the company,
01:30our community will be a part of the land.
01:33And the people will be the solution
01:36and who will be the freedom of life
01:40I want to see him in the last 30 years.
01:49I also show his way in this way.
01:52In this way, there is a benefit that the result is going to change.
01:56And that's why I understand that it is not necessary to give the rules.
02:02On one hand, the big issues of the government and the other hand,
02:06is going to be a burden of the OBC work.
02:11And that it is not necessary to reduce the power of the people's people's heads,
02:18and the other hand, is going to be a strong force of our party.
02:23It's a shame.
02:26The great Minister Ji is a shame.
02:30It's been a whole, it's been a whole.
02:33I have made a job. If you are alive, then you will also be chocked.
02:39You will have a great job.
02:46I have done a deal with the delimitation commission.
02:49In the delimitation commission, you will be sent to your people,
02:52you will do that, you will do that.
02:54So I want to say that I want to say that.
02:57We have done a deal with the delimitation commission act.
03:00In the end of this act, there is no change.
03:03In the full stop coma, we have repeated the delimitation commission act.
03:09If you have done that at that moment,
03:11I can say that you are saying that it will be the manipulation.
03:18If you have done that at that moment,
03:22I can say that we will not do that.
03:27I cannot say anything.
03:28Now, the British Party is trying to make a knife.
03:36The British Party is trying to make a knife.
03:49The British Party is trying to make a knife.
03:55And the British Party is trying to make a knife.
03:59And the British Party is trying to make a knife.
04:02Nadi ko apne sanghthan mani rakhha.
04:07Unke maan samman ke liye kaise rakhenge.
04:32He has been wanting it.
04:33It was Rajiv Gandhi who initiated it.
04:35Then why, when we are standing at the precipice of history, why put a spoke in the wheel?
04:40Why block it?
04:43Let's face some historical facts.
04:47From the time India got her freedom, it has been the Congress that has always empowered women.
04:55The wonderful constitutional framers, great men with vision, had decided that day
05:01that Indian women, from the day they get independence, will vote,
05:06which is far more than what some of the so-called progressed nations have done.
05:10From there, if you go to see whether it's a video remarriage, banning of child marriage,
05:17there are many laws that we, including right up to the time when I was minister
05:21and we brought in the Domestic Violence Act, we brought in all those.
05:24So, there is absolutely no doubt or question as to whether we want women reservation or not.
05:32Now, that's absolutely, to even question that is ridiculous, because the reforms,
05:37whether it was integrating women into the armed services, all that we have done,
05:43education for girls, everything.
05:45Now, when we brought, and the actual man who was the architect of empowering women politically
05:51across the country was Rajiv Gandhiji.
05:56With a smile, he wrote, he signed and changed the destinies of lakhs of women today across the
06:03country at the grassroot level, where they contest and they are empowered to become planners,
06:10decision makers and representatives of the common man.
06:14So, why did we do that?
06:16Why did we bring the constitutional amendment at that point?
06:20We brought it, how did we do that?
06:22We brought it by discussion, by talking to the stakeholders, by an exchange of ideas,
06:29by stepping back or stepping aside sometimes to take cognizance of what the others are saying.
06:35And it was practically two years before we brought in this amendment
06:39and have empowered women across the country.
06:43It went so smoothly late.
06:44P.V. Narsimha Raoji, after that, he had to implement it because Rajivji was gone.
06:50Now, question one with this government.
06:54Which part of this constitution do you respect?
06:57Which the prime minister goes to Israel and comes back, doesn't come to parliament to tell us as a sitting
07:07house what exactly happened.
07:10The country is paying the repercussions of global war situations.
07:15We don't know what's happening.
07:17We take Trump who tells us a hundred times about what's happening between India and Pakistan.
07:22We have a prime minister who doesn't answer, doesn't meet people, doesn't hold press conferences with media.
07:32And today we are supposed to believe in his guarantees.
07:37What guarantees are we getting from the prime minister?
07:40Was it not a guarantee that he was going to triple the income of farmers?
07:45Was the AP reorganization, wasn't that a guarantee?
07:49All right, but you know, one second.
07:51Allow me to come in.
07:52Allow me to come in, Ms. Choudhury.
07:54So what you are saying is that you are not quite against the bill.
07:56It's in the manner in which the bill is being pushed through,
08:00where the implementation of 33% reservation is concerned.
08:03You don't trust the government, is what you are saying,
08:06that this is for the betterment and reservation for women.
08:10You don't think it's about representation, but more about delimitation.
08:14Is that what you are trying to say?
08:17Yes, yes, yes.
08:19I'm sorry, but the conduct of the government is highly suspect
08:23that you have no respect for the constitution.
08:25Five states are in the middle of elections.
08:28And you come to parliament and pass a bill like this,
08:31you want it in the middle of an election process,
08:33and what did they do to the election commission?
08:37You don't have a Supreme Court,
08:38you don't have a Chief Justice sitting there
08:40to choose an election commissioner.
08:42You remove him and bring in bureaucracy.
08:46I mean, how intelligently they have decimated every process
08:51so that they're empowered to muscle in with their numbers
08:55and do what they want.
08:57How are we to respect this?
08:59You tell me.
09:00They've come to parliament, they're talking about women's will.
09:03Have they spoken with us?
09:04We are members of parliament.
09:05We are women members of parliament.
09:07Have they called for a discussion, one discussion,
09:10with all the women?
09:11Never mind the men.
09:12Leave the men out if you don't want.
09:14Did you talk to us to say that what is your opinion,
09:17what are your reservations,
09:18what are you worrying about?
09:20No.
09:21Have they spoken to the stakeholders?
09:23No.
09:24Have they discussed with the assemblies?
09:26No.
09:27I mean, this is amazing.
09:29Is this a democracy that runs this way?
09:32How do we trust a prime minister who behaves like this?
09:37And they bring in laws that empower them.
09:40They can throw people into jail whenever they want.
09:42People can't get bail when they need it.
09:45I mean, this is quite...
09:46And you people are willing to accept that.
09:49Okay.
09:49They have the brute majority,
09:51but that does not mean they can take my mind away.
09:55Where is your PIL now?
09:57Gone.
09:57Where is your RTI now?
09:59Gone.
10:00Amazing.
10:01All the instruments of democracy
10:03that retained the right to question the government
10:08and for course correction by the citizen have vanished.
10:13Today, the citizen has barely any rights.
10:15Okay.
10:16He can be picked up and thrown in.
10:18We will be called people who have committed treason.
10:21Okay.
10:22But, you know, Ms. Chaudhary, I would...
10:23This is scary if it wasn't so laughable.
10:27So, I have strong reservations.
10:29Chazan, the government can really come together.
10:31One would really hope that you can come together.
10:35And...
10:36Okay.
10:37All right, ma'am, you're going to continue...
10:39You know...
10:41Okay.
10:42All right.
10:43Ms. Chaudhary, you've put your point forward.
10:45Thank you for taking the time out and joining us.
10:47I want to cut across right now to Mr. Prabhu Chawla,
10:49senior journalist, joining me live.
10:51Thank you, Mr. Chawla, to join us this evening.
10:55First, quick question.
10:57In the kind of commentary that you can see coming in from the opposition,
11:01in parliament, outside parliament,
11:03most parties not opposed to the bill,
11:05massive trust deficit,
11:07shouldn't the government, A, have not held this three-day session,
11:10bang in the middle of elections.
11:12Second, maybe continue to hold talks,
11:14try to gain confidence of the opposition,
11:17and tabled it during the monsoon session.
11:19You had enough time to work it through.
11:22See, Priti, you're asking a question, correct,
11:24because what was the hurry of holding such a session during the election?
11:28That's a valid question the opposition is asking for.
11:31And then people asked about,
11:32come a while ago,
11:33it could have been.
11:34But earlier, not to the Lok Sabha,
11:35because Raja Sabha adopted it.
11:38Question is very legitimate,
11:39but mixing all the three bills together
11:41makes some kind of an interesting story.
11:44Because everybody is looking at,
11:45you're looking at the numerical nuances of the whole thing,
11:48why it has come now,
11:49what is the implication,
11:50whether it will affect the elections or not.
11:52Ultimately, it's connected with the delimination.
11:55The number of constituents will go up by 50%.
11:58That's what is going to happen in part of the division.
12:00Then you're talking about a women's reservation bill.
12:02Why do we need constitutional amendment
12:04for giving representation of the women?
12:06You're using the legislature.
12:09Why can't you go to the organizational route?
12:11Who prevent the various political parties
12:13to register their constitution
12:15under the Indian Representation People Act
12:17and say that everybody will give 33%, 40%, 50%
12:21feeds to the women only?
12:24No parliamentary board of the BJP
12:26or Congress party has enough women.
12:28They don't have even 10%.
12:30BJP parliamentary board has 11 members.
12:33There's only one woman.
12:34She's also not elected.
12:36Congress party has got 36 working committee members.
12:38There are four of them there sitting.
12:40One of them is 75 years old.
12:42That is okay.
12:43Every political party,
12:44there are 36 political parties in the country,
12:46six rational parties.
12:48None of them have the president,
12:50a woman president.
12:52So when tickets have to be given by the organization,
12:55you want to have a Rajiv Gandhi representative,
12:57for example,
12:57here at the Panchati Rajivarishra.
13:00What happened after that?
13:02Everybody, every woman who got a ticket,
13:03she became a sarpanchpati
13:06because her husband was dominating everything.
13:08There are no real power given to the women.
13:10Why can't they give the women,
13:12make president of the 28 units of the BJP
13:15or Congress party?
13:16Not even one is a woman president.
13:18They can't find a woman president.
13:20Out of all the general sectors of the BJP
13:23or Congress party,
13:24there are hardly one or two women.
13:25If they can't find within the organization
13:27to give them the ticket,
13:28how will they find 33% women in the...
13:30They want only nomination.
13:31They want to expand their political paribar.
13:34There's a whole idea of this.
13:35It's a gimmick.
13:37It is a total gimmick.
13:38First reform has to begin from home.
13:41Every party must have a constitution
13:43which says we'll give 33%, 40%, 50% representation to women.
13:47Only person who has done it is Mamata Pesadji.
13:50She has given 38% representation to women.
13:53Her maximum number of women MLS are in only TMC.
13:57All right, so basically,
13:59you know, I want to bring in Tawleen Singh
14:01into this conversation, senior journalist.
14:03But Mr. Chawla, so basically you're saying
14:05put your money where your mouth is.
14:07Most political parties don't really want representation.
14:10This is all an eyewash.
14:12That's what you're saying.
14:13Will you see this happening?
14:14Do you see...
14:15I want to ask one quick question, Mr. Chawla,
14:17before we let you go.
14:18Do you see the amendment passing?
14:22Do you see it happening?
14:25If you look at the history of 30 years,
14:27they're talking about 30 years ago,
14:31all the parties were conspiring against each other.
14:34There was a constitutional conspiracy against each other.
14:36But now you want to do it, okay, do it.
14:38If you want to do the formality of going to it,
14:40it will go through.
14:41I think it will go through.
14:42But what is the long-term objective of the ruling party?
14:44We don't know.
14:45That will only unfold a little later when we go forward.
14:48But the question is, I would say...
14:50So you're saying no long-term objective.
14:51It's interesting because most...
14:54Right.
14:55Because, Mr. Chawla, most journalists we've spoken to today
14:58think it's historic.
14:59It should be pushed through.
15:01You're one of the few.
15:02And strangely, I'm being joined by another person
15:04who also doesn't believe in reservation.
15:06Tableen Singh is with me.
15:08Tableen Singh, senior journalist with us.
15:11Tableen Singh, do you see this is...
15:13You know, it's an idea where women reservation is concerned.
15:17That time has come.
15:18I know personally you might not agree with it.
15:20But how do you view things?
15:21Especially where we stand today.
15:23Why is it historically we already came together years ago?
15:25I really don't see it passing
15:27because it's linked to too many other things.
15:32But the sheer fact...
15:33But the sheer fact it was passed in 2023
15:36and now we can actually see it being implemented.
15:39That hasn't quite happened.
15:41And if it doesn't go through this time,
15:43then we are back again to the drawing board.
15:46That's the whole complication.
15:48For a start, I find the haste with which this is being done
15:53very puzzling.
15:55That a special session should be called
15:57in the middle of Parliament.
15:58I mean, in the middle of elections is also puzzling.
16:02I don't see the sincerity in this.
16:05But by the way, I must tell you
16:06that I oppose reservation for women.
16:08I'm one of those women who really believe
16:10that it will make no difference
16:12to the lot of women in India.
16:15So, you know, I mean, you can expand it.
16:17You can bring in more women.
16:19I don't think it's going to make a difference.
16:20I don't think we should have reservations for women.
16:27That's what I was saying, Ms. Singh.
16:28It's rather interesting.
16:29I just had Mr. Prabhu Chawla, senior journalist.
16:31He actually believed in the same thoughts that you do.
16:34But I want to ask you one quick question
16:36before I get into a break.
16:37And Ms. Singh,
16:39the fact that there seems to be
16:42this massive trust deficit
16:44between the Treasury benches and the opposition,
16:46where the timing of the session they suspect,
16:52bang in the middle of elections,
16:53delimitation being now linked
16:55to representation of women,
16:57that they suspect.
16:58Then, of course, the apprehensions by southern states.
17:03I don't see it happening
17:04because, as you said quite correctly,
17:06the trust deficit is huge.
17:09And if I, who's not in any political party,
17:13am puzzled by the sudden decision
17:16to have a sudden special session of parliament
17:19in the middle of this campaign for, you know,
17:22when the voting is, I think, in a few days,
17:26it really puzzles me.
17:28So why should the opposition not be equally puzzled?
17:30And equally untrustworthy of,
17:33I mean, untrusting of this process.
17:40Okay.
17:41All right, one final question, Ms. Singh.
17:44One final question.
17:45Do you think if the government
17:46had possibly given it a little time
17:48to speak to the opposition,
17:50take their confidence, discuss deliberate,
17:53and maybe tabled it in the monsoon session,
17:56that could have worked?
18:00I absolutely think they should have done this more carefully,
18:03with a lot more conversation with the opposition.
18:07There's no dispute.
18:08Everybody agrees that there should be reservations for women.
18:13So why this sudden decision to do this?
18:17If I'm finding it difficult to understand,
18:19I can imagine that the opposition is too.
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