Women should get reservation in Parliament, assemblies: Union minister Athawale

GUWAHATI: Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday said women should get reservation in Parliament and state assemblies.
Athawale was addressing students and faculty members at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya near Guwahati.
“Women are doing well everywhere. They must get reservation in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. If women are educated, the entire society will be educated, and eventually, the nation will be educated,” Athawale said.
He added, “Many women have become IAS and IPS officers. Women are doctors, engineers, advocates and excelled in every sphere. Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, while many women adorned the chair of chief minister in the country. Women should get their due share in Parliament now.”
The Union minister was on a visit to Assam where his Republican Party of India (A) (RPI-A) is eyeing to contest next year’s Lok Sabha polls from a couple of seats. The RPI-A, however, is waiting for a go ahead from its big brother BJP.
The RPI (A), which has been putting in efforts to consolidate hold over members of the Dalit community in Maharashtra and elsewhere in the country, is targeting two seats where minority (Muslim) voters have been playing a determining role.
“Our party is working in many districts of Assam. We will hold talks with the BJP to get a ticket at least from the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat where our party is doing good organisational work in the Muslim-inhabited areas,” Athawale said.
The RPI (A) fielded candidates in eight seats in the recently held Nagaland assembly polls and five of them were in eastern Nagaland districts that are struggling with backwardness. Athawale’s party pulled a surprise victory in two seats.