The prickly question of representation, and who can speak on whose behalf, came to the fore in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, ironically while debating the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam or the women’s reservation Bill.
As soon as BJP’s lead speaker Jharkhand MP Nishikant Dubey stood up to speak on the Bill that seeks to give women 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, there were protests from the Opposition Benches as to why a male MP was the first speaker on behalf of the ruling party. Congress’ legislature party leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and senior party MP Gaurav Gogoi raised the issue.
At this, Home Minister Amit Shah, stood to respond, stating, that he wished to ask Mr. Chowdhury “whether only women should speak on these issues. Can’t men speak on women’s issues.”
