M Kharge and Nirmala Sitharaman clash on GST and Women’s Bill during a heated debate.

New Delhi:

The proposed women’s reservation bill, which has been cleared by the cabinet, triggered a huge war of words between Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman today. Speaking in the new parliament, Mr Kharge alleged that the reservation will only be manipulated by political parties to choose uneducated voiceless women who are unequipped for the task. Ms Sitharaman, one of the most vocal parliamentarians of the BJP, vehemently objected. Mr Kharge, she said, is making “sweeping statements”.

Here are the key points from the heated debate in the parliament:

• Mallikarjun Kharge accused political parties of choosing uneducated voiceless women for reservation.
• Nirmala Sitharaman objected to Kharge’s sweeping statements and defended the empowerment of women within the BJP.
• Kharge emphasized the lack of opportunities for women from backward classes and Scheduled Castes.
• Both leaders clashed over the Goods and Services Tax, with Kharge alleging states not receiving their share of revenue and Sitharaman denying the claim.
• Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party also objected to the women’s reservation bill, calling it a bill to fool women ahead of the 2024 elections.
• The bill offers women 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, to be implemented after a delimitation exercise.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the bill in his opening speech, highlighting it as a historic achievement.
• The Indian parliament has shifted to a new building on Delhi’s Central Vista, marking the end of an era.

Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked both leaders to submit their statements in writing by the end of the day.

In conclusion, the proposed women’s reservation bill has sparked a heated debate between Congress and the BJP in the new parliament. Both leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge and Nirmala Sitharaman, have presented their contrasting views on the reservation and its impact on women’s empowerment. The bill has also faced objections from the Aam Aadmi Party, labeling it as a political ploy. As the parliament shifts to a new building, the discussions surrounding the bill will continue to evolve, shaping the future of women’s representation in Indian politics.