Image Source: Agencies

Rajya Sabha Congress member Ranjeet Ranjan on Thursday asked why President Droupadi Murmu, a woman and the first dignitary of the tribal community, was not invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
Starting a debate on the Constitution (One Hundred Eighteenth Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to give 33 percent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, Ranjan also questioned why he faced the BJP nine against one. - half a year to introduce the bill, despite having promised it in the party's 2014 election manifesto.
"I want to ask why the president was not invited to the opening of the new parliament building. She is a woman and from a tribal community," he said.
Announcing that his party would support the bill, Ranjan questioned the need to convene an extra session instead of a regular session to pass it. "Lime limelight Lene ke aadat hai (It's normal to get limelight," he said, adding that the BJP is now trying to use women ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
He also questioned the government on its intentions on several issues, saying it did not consult anyone before demonetizing high-value currency notes, adding that 155 people died during the limited time the banned notes were exchanged.
There was silence when three controversial farm bills were introduced, no one in the government spoke when women activists protested against a BJP MP over sexual harassment allegations and two women staged a nude demonstration in strife-torn Manipur, a Congressman said.

Ranjan also questioned the terms of demarcation based on census data to make reservations for women.
“You want to increase the number of seats (in Lok Sabha and state assemblies) and then make reservations for women. Why not give them some of the current places?"

He also demanded reservations for OBCs, similar to SCs/STs.


Asked why the BJP took nine-and-a-half years to introduce the law, he said the Congress-led UPA passed the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2010, within a year of coming to power for the second time.