Mahila Congress launches campaign for passage of women's quota bill

New Delhi: The Congress`s women`s wing, Mahila Congress, on Sunday launched a signature campaign seeking early passage of the Women`s Reservation Bill in Parliament.

The campaign was launched by Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the occasion of the 26th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at his memorial Veer Bhoomi here.

Her son and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also endorsed the campaign by putting their signatures.

The nationwide signature campaign, aimed at pressurising the Narendra Modi government for passage of the bill -- which envisages 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies, will continue till August 10.

"On August 20, the birth of Rajiv Gandhi-ji, the signatures collected from across the country will be handed over to the President," said Mahila Congress President Shobha Oza.

"We will build up pressure on the NDA Government for the passage of the Women`s Reservation Bill as early as possible," she added.

Passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010, the bill has since been pending in the Lok Sabha.