Kalaburgi (Karnataka) [India], March 8 (ANI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday called upon women to make preparations to contest the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in view of the Women's Reservation Bill taking effect.

'The women's reservation bill is likely to take effect in 2028. Prepare to contest the elections. No one can stop you in a democratic set-up,' he said while participating in an International Women's Day function here.

'Women are in power from panchayat to parliament. There is already a 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayats. But many men run the show through women members of the family. It will all stop in the future as women will be capable of running the show themselves,' he added.

He noted that the previous UPA government at the Centre had tried to pass the Women's Reservation Bill but could not do so due to 'certain reasons.'

'The Congress government under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh was planning to bring a women's reservation bill but could not due to certain reasons. The Bill has been passed, and it will take effect for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. We are not sure who will have to lose the seats because of this new reservation,' he said.

He said that women play an important role in their families and society.

'There are umpteen examples in history which highlight the importance of women in our society. Basavanna rightly called them punya sthree,' he said.

'Women are making waves in all fields. They have the ability to rule the country in the future. Indira Gandhi had already set a precedent. Women's reservation bill changes a lot of things in the days to come,' he added.

Shivakumar said that four of five guarantees of the Congress government in the State were 'directly empowering women.'

'Women's day events must be fully organised and managed by women. Male officials should not be associated with such events in the future. I have come to this region to take the blessings of women of Kalyana Karnataka, though there was a major event in Bengaluru,' he said.

'Four of five guarantees are directly empowering women. Our government is committed to empowering women economically,' he added. (ANI)