Headline: Parliament Debates Women’s Reservation Bill as Credit War Continues Between BJP and Congress
Date: September 20, 2023
Time: 12:41 PM IST
Byline: Pierre Herubel
In a historic move, the Women’s Reservation Bill has become the center of a credit war between the Congress and the BJP. While the passing of this bill is significant, many in the opposition ranks are questioning the delay in its implementation.
The Lok Sabha commenced the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill today, with Sonia Gandhi leading the charge for the opposition. Gandhi expressed her hope that the bill will be passed unanimously, but also demanded a census for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota. It is worth noting that the new bill does not include provisions for reservation for women in the Rajya Sabha or the state Legislative Council, nor does it encompass women from the OBC.
In another development, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that the words “socialist” and “secular” are missing from the new copies of the Constitution’s Preamble. In response, the BJP stated that “it was like this only” when the Constitution was made.
Meanwhile, the lack of consensus over seat sharing in West Bengal may disrupt INDIA bloc’s plans for the 2024 elections. The discord in Bengal could jeopardize the bloc’s goal of putting up a strong front against the ruling NDA led Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In international news, prior to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claims about India’s involvement in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Ottawa sought support from its closest allies. However, these requests were reportedly denied, as revealed an anonymous Western official.
In a tragic incident, Tamil actor and music composer Vijay Antony’s 16-year-old daughter Meera died alleged suicide. Amid this heartbreaking news, an old statement made Vijay Antony on suicide awareness has gone viral on social media. In the video, Vijay urges people to avoid taking such extreme measures, drawing from his own experience of losing his father to suicide at a young age.
Turning our attention to Uttar Pradesh, a shocking incident has emerged where a seven-year-old boy has been accused of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl in Kanpur Dehat district. The girl’s mother lodged a complaint against the boy, who resides in their neighborhood.
In an unrelated incident, a woman in Chandigarh discovered a live worm in her chicken rice dish at a well-known restaurant chain located in Elante Mall. As a result, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered the restaurant to compensate the customer with Rs 25,852.
On the technology front, OnePlus has confirmed the rollout timeline for the Android 14 open beta update for several of its flagship and OnePlus Nord smartphones. The company is already preparing for the next version of Android, known as OxygenOS 14.
In sports news, the Pakistani cricket team appears to have resolved any internal disputes. Captain Babar Azam posted a picture on social media showing him hugging fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi at the latter’s wedding. This public display of unity follows reports of a verbal spat between the two players after their loss to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023.
That wraps up our news coverage for this afternoon. Stay tuned for more updates on the latest events unfolding in India and abroad.
By Pierre Herubel, News Desk Team