Agartala, April 30: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha stated on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sincerely working for the development of women across all sectors, with women’s safety being a major priority.
During a discussion in the state assembly regarding a proposal for women’s reservation, the Chief Minister emphasized that the Prime Minister’s goal is genuine empowerment of women. He accused the opposition of repeatedly obstructing progress, including delays in passing previous versions of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament.
Highlighting legal developments, he mentioned that Chief Whip Kalyani Saha Roy presented a proposal known as the ‘131st Constitutional Amendment Bill’, also referred to as the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’. This bill aims to ensure 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
“I wholeheartedly welcome this. I believe this amendment is a strong step towards women’s empowerment in India. Almost everyone participated in the discussion on this issue in the house. I am confident that all members will support the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill. I express my gratitude to the opposition leader and other members, including those from the ruling party, who participated in today’s discussion,” he stated.
The Chief Minister noted that there was a constructive and detailed discussion on the issue in the assembly. However, he also remarked that it has become a habit for the opposition to oppose bills presented in Parliament, and this case was no exception.
Further clarifying, Saha stated that delimitation will be based on population rather than geographical areas. He emphasized that this process will not lead to a reduction in seats for southern or northeastern states, as it is governed by constitutional provisions.
In his address, the Chief Minister also accused the opposition of attempting to mislead the public.