Lucknow: In a laudable move, both Houses of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature on Thursday dedicated the day to women legislators, gaining appreciation from both the opposition as well as the ruling party in the state.
Though the assembly session began with the opening remarks from CM Yogi Adityanath, followed by an address by the Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav, all the women speakers began presenting their issues thereafter during the Question Hour. Women doctors, MBA students, law graduates, and girls from educational institutes witnessed the proceedings from the gallery of the Assembly. The Legislative Council also observed a day-long sitting in which only women members spoke.
The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly has 47 women MLAs, including 22 first-timers. There are six women MLCs in the 100-member Legislative Council.
After the session concluded, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said suggestions from women members will help the government take concrete steps."Today, the largest legislature of the country is moving towards creating a new history. After 75 years of Independence, voices of half the population will reach 25 crore people of the state," Adityanath said, stressing that it should have been done long ago. The chief minister said this is not the first time that an effort is being made to give equal status to women.
Speaking after him, Leader of the Opposition and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav stressed the need for checking crime against women. "After the Independence, a lot of good efforts were made in this direction. The Constitution makers had given the right to vote to men and women from the beginning. In England and many other countries, women got this right later," he said.
Referring to the Hathras rape and murder case, he said, "I have not stood up today to oppose the government. Many such incidents had taken place in our government also but when the government, society, and opposition work together then these problems can be checked."
