Date:22/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/22/stories/2006112216802100.htm

National

Women rally for Bill

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The All-India Mahila Congress on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi stressing the need to table and pass the Women's Reservation Bill in the winter session of Parliament beginning on Wednesday.

Earlier, thousands of women converged at Jantar Mantar here and protested against the inordinate delay in the passage of the Billthat seeks to reserve 33 per cent seats to women in Legislatures and Parliament.

"The stand of Ms. Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue is clear. They are both in support of the Bill. However, there are some who are trying to stall the Bill by forwarding impractical alternatives," the memorandum said.