Speaker prioritises women MPs in Zero Hour

‘This is India’s democracy,’ he says

Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on Thursday saw Speaker Om Birla spontaneously deciding to allow as many women MPs as possible to raise their issues in the House. Out of a total of 62 speakers in the morning, 29 were women. Many asked to speak out of ballot and the issues ranged from when the Women’s Reservation Bill will be revived, to the Dadra and Nagar Haveli MP Kalaben Delkar reminding the House of her late husband, Mohan Delkar’s (who died by suicide in February last) efforts to get an Assembly for the Union Territory.

The ball was set rolling when DMK’s Kanimozhi raised the issue of the Women’s Reservation Bill, pointing out that it had been a long time coming and that the government should seriously explore the matter. Soon after Mr. Birla said that the 33% reservation for women issue was a serious one and asked as many women MPs as were present and willing to raise their issues in the House.