THE Congress on Monday urged the Government to bring Women Reservation Bill in the Parliament and highlighted the issue of unemployment saying rising joblessness will finish democracy in the country. During a discussion on ‘Parliamentary Journey of 75 years Starting from Samvidhan Sabha – Achievements, Experiences, Memories And Learnings’ leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge from Congress said, “Women Reservation Bill should come. We all tried. This issue if you (Chair) raise then they will.”

 

Kharge highlighted the small numbers of women lawmakers in Parliament, saying they constituted only 14 per cent in both houses combined, while their number in legislative assemblies is just 10 per cent. The proportion of women MPs was just five per cent in first Lok Sabha in 1952. Kharge told the House that proportion of women members had risen to 28 per cent from two per cent in the US Parliament while in Britain, it jumped to 33 per cent from three per cent.

Ram Nath Thakur of JD(U) too demanded reservation for women while shifting to new Parliament building.