New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) The government on Monday said it will try to ensure that more women MPs get a chance to speak in parliament on Tuesday, the International Women's Day.
The government assurance came in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion on the matter in the Lok Sabha during a reply to the motion of thanks on the President's address to parliament.
"It was a suggestion from the prime minister; we will try to accommodate as many women MPs," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS.
According to sources, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has also echoed similar sentiments.
Modi had said: "8th March is International Women's Day and may be (on) that day, only women members should speak in parliament."
There are at present 66 women MPs in the 544-member Lok Sabha and 31 women MPs in the 241-member Rajya Sabha.
It is the highest number yet of women MPs in the Lok Sabha. The 15th Lok Sabha had 58 women members.
