The Hindu : New Delhi News : Dharna, prayer mark Women’s Day

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Sunday, Mar 09, 2008
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New Delhi

Dharna, prayer mark Women’s Day

Staff Reporter

Manmohan’s assurance on Bill for women’s reservation

Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

Achievers: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi with Gursharan Kaur, wife of the Prime Minister, felicitating women shooters from Haryana at the Stree Shakti Puraskar ceremony on the occasion of International Women’s Day in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: International Women’s Day was celebrated in a big way here in the Capital on Saturday.

The All India Progressive Women’s Association observed the day with a dharna near Parliament in protest against the United Progressive Alliance Government’s failure to table the Bill for women’s reservation.

Addressing the dharna, Association general secretary Kumidini Pati said though the UPA’s term was nearing its end, it had not managed to table the Bill seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament.

The Association opposed the proposal to allow 33 per cent reservation in the distribution of election tickets, terming it as eyewash, since it would not guarantee one-third women representatives.

The Guild of Service presented a charter of demands to Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In a statement later, the Guild of Service said: “The Prime Minister assured the women leaders that the Government will introduce the reservation Bill in this session.”

The women congregated at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate to collectively pray for world peace and social justice. Among those who joined the Guild of Service were All India Democratic Women’s Association, All India Women’s Conference, Joint Women’s Programme, YWCA and Women’s Political Watch.

Pragateesheel Mahila Sangathan also organised a march, followed by a public meeting, from Connaught Place to Jantar Mantar, raising slogans against female foeticide and violence against women. At another function, Congress president Sonia Gandhi gave away the ‘Stree Shakti Puraskar’ for 2004, 2005 and 2006 to 15 women achievers.

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