Mamata cancels China trip as meetings not confirmed

Vartha Bharati | 22-06-2018 | 17:01:00 IST

Kolkata, June 22: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday cancelled her eight-day trip to China as the scheduled political meetings "at the appropriate level" under the Exchange Programme between the two countries were not confirmed.

Banerjee, who was supposed to leave for China on Friday evening, termed the cancellation "unfortunate", but said without a confirmation of those meetings, her visit to China was pointless.

"Till yesterday, everything was going on well, but unfortunately, the Chinese side could not confirm the political meetings.

"It has now been intimated by our Ambassador in China that the political meetings at the appropriate level under the Exchange Programme could not be confirmed. Therefore, the purpose of my visit with a delegation to China under the Exchange Programme is of no use," she tweeted.

"Although our Ambassador tried his best to make the programme a success, non-confirmation of the political meetings as proposed by the Indian Ambassador to China, at the last moment, has unfortunately compelled us to cancel the visit," she said.

The Chief Minister, however, hoped that the incident would not impact the relationship between the two countries.

"I wish the continuation of the friendship of India and China in the days to come and it should strengthen further in the interest of both the countries."

Banerjee was requested by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in March to take part in the Exchange Programme between the Government of India and the International Department of the Communist Party of China.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.

Time has come to implement Women's Reservation Act: PM Modi's letter to LS, RS floor leaders

12-04-2026 ¦ 12-04-2026 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PTI)

New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the time has come for the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act in its true spirit and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with the quota for women in place.

In a letter to the floor leaders of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, ahead of the three-day special sittings of Parliament, Modi also asked all members to come together in one voice to pass the amendments to the women's reservation law, officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

"After extensive deliberations, we have reached the conclusion that the time has now come to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in its true spirit across the country.

"It is imperative that the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections are conducted with women's reservation in place," the Prime Minister said in his letter dated April 11.

The Budget Session of Parliament has been extended, and a special three-day sitting of the House has been convened on April 16 to 18.

The Women's Reservation Act will ensure an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, of which 273 will be reserved for women.

The provision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies was brought by amending the Constitution in 2023.

However, the women's quota would have come into effect only after the completion of the delimitation exercise on the basis of the 2027 Census. This meant the reservation would not have become enforceable before 2034 if the present law remains as is.

To implement it from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, changes were needed in the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; hence, the government is holding a special session to pass the amendments to the law.