Women’s quota bill campaign reaches Aligarh

ALIGARH - The ‘Reservation Express’ campaign which seeks to mobilise support for the women’s quota bill reached Aligarh Saturday on its way to the national capital.

“It was the Aligarh Muslim University that reserved seats for women in the employees union for the first time in India,” eminent historian Irfan Habib said, addressing a group assembled to welcome the campaigners as they reached Aligarh Saturday.

The women’s reservation bill that seeks to give women 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies, has been passed by the Rajya Sabha but is yet to be taken up by the Lok Sabha.

Talking to IANS campaign leader Shabnam Hashmi said: “Wherever we went there has been tremendous response. Women in villages across India said they want reservation and it would definitely help in their empowerment. Our group includes Muslim and Dalit women also.”

Talking about opposition to the reservations, Shabnam said: “We are opposed to any kind of interference and mediation by the conservative religious heads. Let women decide what is good for them.”

Shahjad Alam, local organiser of the campaign told IANS: “Three groups have moved out to cover the whole country on a mass contact drive by road. The group members are holding interactive sessions with local women’s groups and mobilising support for the women’s reservation bill.

The ‘Reservation Express’ campaign was flagged off from Jhansi May 20. The campaigners, after travelling almost 20,000 km and covering 60 cities and towns across India, will reach Delhi June 6.