New Delhi: Stating that the 73rd and 74th Constitution amendments providing 33 per cent reservation to women in local self-governments are "nothing short of a social revolution", Congress president Sonia Gandhi on March 1 expressed the hope that Women's Reservation Bill granting similar reservation to them in Parliament and state Assemblies would be passed soon.

"True, women's representation in Parliament and in state Assemblies is still abysmally low. We hope that the Women's Reservation Bill would be passed soon," Gandhi said while inaugurating a seminar on economic empowerment of women.

The 73rd and 74th Constitution amendments providing 33 per cent reservation to women in local self-governments are "nothing short of a social revolution, with enormous potential for transforming rural India in particular", she said.

Bu it was just the beginning and a massive national effort was needed to empower women, the Congress president said.

"I believe that by bringing women's issues into the core of our political debate, we will be taking a significant step forward to make our politics itself a more effective instrument for the poor and the disadvantaged," she said.

Gandhi also referred to the 10-point "Mahila Sashakthikaran" charter implemented by Congress-ruled states.

Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, who was also present at the seminar, said political equality was meaningless in a society, where women continue to suffer because of economic deprivation.

He requested Gandhi, who is leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, to direct the Congress-ruled governments to pass Legislation on the empowerment of women and send it to him for consideration to bring about such a Legislation at the national level.

PTI