BJP women to hold rally at Ramlila seeking political empowernment

New Delhi, Feb 20 (UNI) Having amended the party constitution providing for 33 per cent reservation for women in the party set up, the BJP is holding a massive rally here tomorrow to build up pressure on the UPA government to table the Women's Reservation Bill in the budget session of Parliament, commencing from February 25.

Addressing a news conference, BJP Mahila Morcha President Kiran Maheshwari and Mrs Sumitra Mahajan, in charge of the BJP Mahila Morcha, said women activists numbering around 100,000 from across the country had arrived in the Capital to attend the rally to be addressed by top party leadership including BJP's Prime Ministerial nominee L K Advani, BJP President Rajnath Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, senior party leaders Dr Najma Heptullah, Jaywanti Ben Mehta and Maya Singh.

Mrs Mahajan said the BJP, which has amended its party constitution to make way for 33 per cent women in the organisational structure, expected the government to come out with the Women's Reservation Bill in the Parliament Session. The BJP was ready to support any progressive empowerment of women but the government was not coming out with any proposal. Women and development had become synonymous and there can be no development without the uplift of women.

She said ''there was a talk on increasing the number of seats in Parliament to accomodate increased women MPs or reverting back to double member constituencies or make it compulsory for the parties to field 33 per cent with women members, but unfortunately, nothing is coming forward.'' Mrs Mahajan said the rally at the Ramlila Ground would not just be attended by women from Delhi and its neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan but also from each of the Northeastern states, southern states and Union Terrotories of Andaman and Nicobar islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep islands.

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