Kolkata, Apr 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the TMC will support the women’s quota bill but not the delimitation bill introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Narendra Modi government.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to tweak the women’s quota law was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday after a division of votes.
Two ordinary bills — the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill to implement the proposed amended women’s quota law in Union territories of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir — were also introduced in the House.
“We will support the Women’s Reservation Bill, but we are not in favour of the delimitation bill,” Banerjee said while addressing an election rally at the Dum Dum Central Jail ground.
She said 50 per cent reservation for women already exists in West Bengal’s panchayats and municipal bodies.
Criticising the Modi government over central agency raids and summons on TMC candidates, the chief minister said she had never seen such a situation.
“I charge the prime minister of misusing the agencies,” Banerjee said.
The TMC chief accused the BJP-led central government of being the “demolisher of democracy”.
Accusing the BJP of playing a “dirty game”, she said, “These actions will have consequences someday; I will definitely take legal action.”
Commenting on an Income Tax department raid on TMC candidate Debasish Kumar on Friday, the chief minister said his constitutional right to campaign was being hampered.
Claiming that the BJP cannot fight her politically, Banerjee challenged the saffron party to a direct fight.
“They cannot fight me, so they are disturbing my party and my people,” she said.
