The initiative of Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to bring together all women legislators across the country was hailed by almost all the lawmakers present on the occasion, but they expressed their dissatisfaction over the format. After talking to a bunch of legislators, it came to the notice of Millennium Post that the lawmakers were clueless as what had to be taken forward from this conference.
Commenting on the issue, noted gynaecologist and Trinamool Congress MP Mamtaz Sanghamita said, “I appreciate the objective of this conference, but there is nothing to take forward from here as of now. They just talk about women reservation, but afraid of making it a reality.”
“TMC headed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has already made 33 per cent women representation a reality. Out of total 34 MPs in Lok Sabha, TMC has 11 women representatives, which is more than 33 per cent,” said Sanghamita, who represents Bardhaman-Durgapur seat in Lok Sabha.
AIADMK’s V Sathyabama, who represents Tiruppur constituency in Tamil Nadu, said, “We are volunteers of Jayalalithaa, whose primary concern is welfare of women. It’s not yet clear as what we will take forward from here.”
Expressing his anguish, Bihar’s Congress MLA Poonam Paswan said, “What is the use of such a conference, where ministers and legislators of ruling party are spelling out their initiatives? We have come here to listen to our president Sonia Gandhi, but since she was not treated well, she didn’t turn up.”
Paswan added, “We are not allowed to speak about our problems, then what’s the use of such as big platform. We should have also given a chance to share our challenges and hardships being faced by us in implementation of different welfare schemes in our areas.”
“Each legislator has a different set of experience that they would wish to share, but since representation is in huge number, at least one member from a party on state-wise basis should have been given the opportunity to speak. I was asked to come, so I’m here, but don’t know what I will take forward from here,” said Rani Gargi Blowria, a member of J&K Legislative Council.