Bengaluru, April 11 (NationPress) In light of the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill, a special session of Parliament will convene to deliberate on the implementation of women’s reservation. To promote awareness, a 10-day campaign will be organized throughout Karnataka aimed at informing women about their rights, announced Union Minister of State (MoS) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje.

During a press conference at the State BJP Office in Bengaluru, she urged political factions to endorse the Women’s Reservation Bill. She expressed optimism that in the future, qualified individuals from diverse fields would be nominated for seats. Furthermore, she expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his commitment to advancing women's reservation.

Karandlaje emphasized that the demand for women's reservation has been a long-term aspiration. She recalled a time roughly 15 years ago when the bill faced fierce opposition in Parliament, with some political entities tearing up the bill in protest.

She remarked that the opposition to women’s reservation was prevalent within Parliament during that period.

The bill had been set aside, and during the decade-long reign of the UPA government, it did not resurface. Karandlaje noted that since Narendra Modi took office, he has prioritized women’s empowerment across various sectors, including education, society, and the economy.

Highlighting the success of women's leadership in Karnataka, she pointed out that gram panchayats led by women have performed exceptionally well and have been recognized with awards.

In response to inquiries, she mentioned that political parties should prioritize current representatives when distributing Parliament tickets and that the candidate identification process should commence soon.

She accused the Congress party of wearing “yellow glasses,” perceiving everything through an electoral lens.

Karandlaje expressed skepticism regarding the potential impact of the Women’s Reservation Bill on state elections. She called for clarity from AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge regarding his stance on the bill—whether he is against the bill itself or merely its current discussion.

Addressing another query, the Union Minister recalled that during the tenure of late Indira Gandhi and while Sonia Gandhi was leading the UPA, discussions on women's reservation took place, but what followed was merely “crocodile tears,” implying that they sometimes opposed it.

She further asserted that for Congress, only Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is significant, while the prospects for other women candidates remain bleak. According to her, the party's mentality is that Priyanka should be prioritized over other women.

Karandlaje believes that besides Indira, Sonia, and Priyanka Gandhi, Congress does not want ordinary women to enter Parliament and urged the party to reconsider this perspective.

C. Manjula, President of the State Mahila Morcha, conveyed that the Prime Minister has taken the initiative to enact the Nari Shakti Vandan Act and extended her congratulations.

She announced that women’s conventions will be held in every district by the Mahila Morcha, along with a signature campaign. This initiative will kick off on Sunday in KR Puram, Bengaluru, under the leadership of Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and will expand statewide.

Additionally, a missed call campaign is set to launch in support of the bill, and press briefings will be conducted at divisional levels. The Youth Morcha will also organize bike and scooter rallies.

Notable attendees included State BJP Vice Presidents Malavika Avinash and Rupali Naik, State Mahila Morcha President C. Manjula, and State spokesperson Surabhi Hodigere.