Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi interacted with women representatives as part of the manifesto consultation process in Bhopal on January 20, 2014.
Moderating the session on political empowerment of women, Rahul Gandhi stated that the next step would be to provide women reservation in the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha. He reiterated that the Congress Party is committed to passing the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. 'Our next step towards women's empowerment is the Women's Reservation Bill. We will not let it go,' he said.
Rahul Gandhi was articulating a demand that came up repeatedly during the entire consultation: greater political representation for women. Many participants stated that increasing women's representation in the legislature as well in the higher levels of government will not only help empowering women, it will also improve governance in the country, just as it has done at the Panchayat level.
'Unless women are empowered, India cannot become a superpower...we don't want to be a superpower in which 50 per cent of the population is treated unjustly,' said Rahul Gandhi. He added that, women are the strength of our nation.Watch Rahul Gandhi at INC Manifesto Consultation with Women representatives With HD Quality.