Padma Shri Awardee Gulabo praises PM Modi, says "women's reservation quota will be doubly empowering"
Jaipur, April 13
Padma Shri awardee Kalbelia dancer Gulabo has welcomed the proposed amendments to operationalise the Women's Reservation Act, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts towards women empowerment.
Her remarks come ahead of the special Parliament sitting scheduled from April 16 to 18, where key changes to the Nari Shakti Adhiniyamare are expected to be discussed.
Speaking to ANI, Gulabo expressed optimism about the impact of the legislation.
"It feels very good that PM Modi is doing so much for women. He has always encouraged women. I received the Padma Shri in the year 2016, with the blessings of PM Modi. PM Modi has always worked for the development of women, and he will keep doing that," she said.
"This Bill is going to make women doubly empowered and encourage them to pursue their dreams in the field of politics and others," the Padma Shri awardee added.
The upcoming special session of Parliament is set to focus on amendments to the Women's Reservation Act, originally passed in 2023. The Act provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
However, its implementation earlier was linked to the completion of a fresh Census and subsequent delimitation exercise. With delays in conducting the Census, the Centre is now considering moving ahead with delimitation based on the 2011 Census data.
The proposed amendments are expected to increase the total number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to around 816, with nearly one-third reserved for women. A separate Delimitation Bill is also likely to be introduced, both requiring Constitutional amendments.
Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi, in a letter to floor leaders of all political parties, urged collective support for the implementation of the legislation, calling it a "historic step" for strengthening women's participation in governance. He emphasised that empowering women is essential for India's progress and urged parties to rise above political differences.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I support women's reservation, the sudden push and linking it to delimitation that increases seats feels politically timed. The implementation should be straightforward, not tied to other complex exercises. Let's hope the final bill is clean and effective.
Gulabo's words carry weight. She comes from a community where women have traditionally been the breadwinners through their art. If women from all backgrounds get a fair chance in Parliament, it will truly change the face of Indian politics. Jai Hind!
Interesting to follow this from abroad. Increasing parliamentary seats significantly is a major structural change. Hope the focus remains on genuine empowerment and quality representation, not just numbers.
The PM's call for collective support is crucial. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. Women's reservation has been pending for decades. Better late than never. Let's get it done in this special session.
My only concern is that reservation should not become a token gesture. Parties must field capable women candidates, not just relatives of male leaders. The goal is substantive participation. Fingers crossed! 🤞
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