New Delhi: Ensuring the passage of the women’s reservation bill would be the next big focus for the Congress, it would go as far as “gheraoing” the Parliament if the Bill was not introduced by the end of the Winter Session, said sources.
Attending his first official party function after being declared elected as the Congress President, Rahul Gandhi said a central part of transforming the party organisation would be an increase in the role of women.
“We have to work on transforming the Congress. And a fundamental part of that transformation in my mind is going to be the role of women. There is a central difference between the BJP and us. We have to spread the Congress ideology across the country and for this we need women,” he said at a Mahila Congress workshop.
“We will clear message to the government that you have to give women’s reservation. The Congress party will not give you a choice,” he said adding that the pressure put on the government would be “even more than what was put while ensuring changes in the Goods and Services Tax”.
“There should be a roadmap. We have to ensure women’s representation at every step,” he added.
Sources said that Mr Gandhi has already asked for such a roadmap for a campaign for the passage of the Bill. “The strategy includes a gherao of Parliament if the Bill is not introduced by the end of the Winter Session”.
A senior leader said that the Congress feels that the NDA government will introduce the women’s quota Bill at the fag end of their tenure and there will be no guarantee of its implementation.”I congratulate Gujarat unit of and the general secretaries. Congress has fought as one and you will see the result and maybe you will get a surprise…I want all state units to work like this,”
he added.
Mr Gandhi who was on his first official function after a gruelling campaign in Gujarat said that a message has been given by Gujarat unit of the Congress party in the last 3-4 months that wherever the party will fight, whether it has one seat or 10, it will fight as one and with an ideological vision.
