Protest for women’s quota a diversionary tactic: Jairam Ramesh
Slamming Kavitha for staging a protest at this point in time, Ramesh said that after nine years, a political party suddenly remembered the Women’s Reservation Bill after getting a summons from ED.
Published: 11th March 2023 08:16 AM | Last Updated: 11th March 2023 08:16 AM | A+A A-
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. (File photo | NSUI Twitter)
HYDERABAD: Taking a jibe at BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha, AICC general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh on Friday opined that there was certainly a liquor scam, in which two to three other parties were also involved. He made these remarks during a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Friday.
Slamming Kavitha for staging a protest at this point in time, Ramesh said that after nine years, a political party suddenly remembered the Women’s Reservation Bill after getting a summons from ED. “To stage a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar today (Friday) is a diversion from other issues that would become relevant tomorrow. We don’t want diversionary tactics,” he said.
Reminding that the Congress had passed the Women’s Reservation Bill or The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, in the Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010, Ramesh said, “Exactly 13 years ago, the Women’s Reservations Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha, thanks to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Let me tell you why we passed it in the Rajya Sabha first. Any Bill introduced in Rajya Sabha never lapses. But, in the case of Lok Sabha, when the Lower House is dissolved, the Bill will also lapse.”
When asked about overtures from BRS leaders towards the Congress, Ramesh made it clear that the party is fighting BRS in Telangana. “We don’t need any certificate from anybody. Our main opponent in Telangana is the BRS. There is absolutely no question of any understanding, secret or open, with the BRS. As far as Congress is concerned, we are fighting electorally, and democratically. Very clearly, I say “KCR Harao, Telangana Bachao”,” he said.
Speaking about the ‘Mee Bhumi, Mi Hakku’ initiative, Ramesh said that the Congress will bring five (Panchasheela) major reforms -- accelerating digitisation of land records, land surveys, one land and one law, implementing the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and implementing crop subsidies to farmers including tenant farmers -- in land-related laws.
