Parliament Special Session LIVE: Cabinet Approves Women Reservation Bill, Say Govt Sources; Congress Welcomes Move

“Those who sit in the opposition trying to take credit on Women Reservation Bill, should be ashamed of themselves. They did nothing but make noise. Empty vessels make noise. What did you do when in power for so many years??” BJP leader Khushbu Sundar wrote in an X post.

“As the Women’s Reservation Bill is set to be tabled in Parliament, it is a significant victory for every single women of our nation. I extend my best wishes to all the citizens of our country, both sisters and brothers.

With the ruling party holding a clear majority in the Loksabha, the passage of this bill should occur smoothly, without any obstacles. The party made this commitment not once, but twice, in their manifestos, first in 2014 and then in 2019. The only missing piece was the political determination to see it through.

Now is the time for the women of this country to take the centre stage in politics, a space they truly deserve. This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in strengthening and shaping of our democracy.

Now empowered women, empowering India will not be a distant dream!” BRS leader Kavitha wrote in an X post.

“If the government introduces the Women’s Reservation Bill tomorrow, it will be a victory for the Congress and its allies in the UPA government. Remember, it was during the UPA government that the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on 9-3-2010. In its 10th year, the BJP is resurrecting the Bill that it had buried in the hope that the clamour for the Bill will die. On the contrary, at every opportunity — most recently at the CWC at Hyderabad — the Congress has vociferously pleaded for the Bill to be passed in Parliament. Let’s hope that the Bill will be introduced and passed in the ongoing Session,” Congress leader P Chindambaram wrote in an X post.

“We welcome the Cabinet’s decision. Whenever the government brings the Bill in the Parliament, BRS will support it,” said BRS MLC K Kavitha.

“We support sub reservation for OBC women as well, but for that to happen should an OBC quota be reserved in the general category as well? These are legal issues that the govt needs to openly communicate, hope that will be done,” she added.

“Our PM says he’s a crusader for women’s empowerment? Time for him to rise above party politics, walk-his-talk & have the Women’s Reservation Bill passed by Parliament. The Congress offers him its unconditional support,” Congress leader rahul Gandhi wrote in an X post.

He also shared his letter to the prime minister over the issue in his post.

“Only the Modi government had the moral courage to fulfill the demand for women’s reservation. Which was proved by the approval of the cabinet. Congratulations @narendramodi ji and congratulations to the Modi government, ” Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel wrote in an X post.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely a hold big rally for women either in Delhi or in Rajasthan in the next in 2-3 days, sources have said.

During the special session of the Parliament, all MPs will reportedly receive a gift bag containing a copy of the Constitution of India, some booklets related to the history and working of the Parliament, a commemorative coin and a stamp on the opening day of the new Parliament building. Check the complete content of the gift bag here

“It’s been a long-standing demand of the Congress party to implement women’s reservation. We welcome the reported decision of the Union Cabinet and await the details of the Bill. This could have very well been discussed in the all-party meeting before the Special Session, and consensus could have been built instead of operating under a veil of secrecy, ” senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote in an X post.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet has approved the Women’s Reservation Bill. According to sources, the bill is likely to be tabled on Wednesday this week during the Special Session of Parliament.

Sources also added that the BJP is planning to bring thousands of women from across Delhi NCR to Delhi to thank PM Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left the Parliament after concluding the cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of PM Modi has concluded.

“It would be decided by the parliamentary committee but a bill had come for 33% reservation for women in Panchayat. This parliament and this government have done a lot for women. A lot of women MPs have participated in debates. Women have been given powerful ministries. This government respects women,” said BJP MP Locket Chatterjee on the Women’s Reservation Bill.

“There are many memories as an MP, minister, the ruling party and as the opposition but still all of us are friends. Today when the proceedings ended, the ruling party and the opposition were taking pictures together to gather the memories of the last day. This is the democracy of India. I have seen Atal Bihari Vajpayee here, Lal Krishna Advani, and Manmohan Singh here. We were active in exposing the 2G scam and other scams, coal scams. I had the fortune of working in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government. There are a lot of memories. This is a temple. We will enter the new temple with new enthusiasm to take India to a new level in the ‘Amrit Kaal’. The opposition has to ask questions and the government has to answer, this is democracy,” said BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad.

A cabinet meeting headed by PM Modi is underway in the Parliament.

“This is an emotional moment. We are taking great memories with us to the new Parliament. I feel very good. This Parliament (old building) is associated with the Independence struggle,” said MoS for State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje.

“A lot of topics have been discussed in the (old) parliament in past 9 years making it ‘9 saal, bemisaal’. Before that too, since the independence, for 75-76 years, the parliament has witnessed all types of moments. All of it is unforgettable. (Old) parliament will keep on inspiring us. We will enter the new parliament tomorrow. The journey will give us the energy to make democracy more powerful. We will move ahead together. Tomorrow is God Ganesh’s day. Everything would be auspicious tomorrow,” said Union Minister Kumar Ashwini Choubey.

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha have been adjourned today to resume on September 19 at 1:15 pm.

The proceedings of the Rajya Sabha have been adjourned today to resume at 2:25 pm tomorrow in the new Parliament building.

“We all have the nostalgia for this Parliament. We will move to the new Parliament now but we need to see what will be done with the old Parliament building,” said Congress leader Rajeev Shukla.