Women’s Reservation Bill: Rahul Gandhi offers 'unconditional support' to Modi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered him his party’s “unconditional support” support on Women’s Reservation Bill.

“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,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted along with the letter.

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.

Attached is my letter to the PM. #MahilaAakrosh pic.twitter.com/IretXFFvvK

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 16, 2018

Along with the tweet, Gandhi shared his letter to Modi. In the letter, the Congress president requested the prime minister to ensure the smooth passing of the bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, starting from July 18.

The Women's Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but could not clear the Lok Sabha for the last eight years. The bill aims to reserve one-third of the total seats in Parliament and Assemblies for the women.

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"Mr Prime Minister, in many of your public rallies you have spoken about your passion for empowering women and involving them more meaningfully in public life. What better way to demonstrate your commitment to the cause of women than by offering your unconditional support to the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill? And what better time, than the upcoming session of parliament?" Gandhi's letter to Modi read.

The Gandhi scion also said that his party had collected over 3.2 million signature in support of the bill. He said that the bill had been stalled for eight years as men across the party lines didn't support it.

Gandhi asked the prime minister to walk-the-talk and stand together with him on the issue of empowering women in the country. "The BJP-led ruling government and its allies were having the majority in the Lok Sabha and the bill only needed your (Modi's) support," he wrote.