Women Reservation Bill – OBC Quota Demand

1. September 12, 1996 – Women Reservation Bill – Tabled BY H D DEVE Gowda government.

  • Protests led by OBC MPs across party lines.
  • Demanded reservation for OBC women.
  • The United Front coalition government was surviving because of the OBC support base (JD, SP, RJD).
  • The Select Committee report on it said to be extending the OBC reservation once it was made part of the Indian Constitution.

2. July 20, 1998 – Women Reservation Bill Tabled Again – NDA Government Led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.  

  • Opposed by RJD, SP and some OBC MPs from other parties including ruling BJP.  
  • Also demanded representation women from minority communities.

3. December 23, 1999 – Bill Tabled Again – NDA Government Led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.  

  • Opposed by RJD And SP, the parties with OBC support base.
  • Said the bill was illegal. Demanded OBC and minority quota as well.
  • Many OBC MPs from Congress were also opposed to the bill.  

4. May 6, 2008 – Women Reservation Bill – UPA Government – In Rajya Sabha.

  • Passed by Rajya Sabha – March 9, 2010 | Never introduced in Lok Sabha.
  • Internal differences among UPA Coalition | cabinet ministers.
  • SP | RJD – Quota Within Quota – OBC Reservation – also demanded quota for minorities.   
  • While then ruling Congress then had ruled it out.
  • Sonia Gandhi – No need to give separate quota. Communities\caste groups can be accommodated within the 33% quota bracket.

NDTV: There are those who are asking for OBC quota, minority quota. Do you feel bill needs relooking?

Sonia Gandhi: To those who ask such questions, I would say this: Who is going to prevent you from giving seats to Muslim woman, OBC women, a seat in 33 per cent? Who is going to prevent them from doing it? Right?

  • Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily – no Constitutional provision for political reservation to OBCs | Courts cab strike down | Census Data Gap – no OBC headcount.

5. September 19, 2023 – Women Reservation Bill – tabled by Narendra Modi led NDA government

  • I.N.D.I.A. including Congress now push demand OBC reservation.

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