Congress Leader Vows Strong Opposition to Proposed Delimitation Bill

Congress's Stance on Delimitation Bill

On Thursday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that if the proposed delimitation bill is reintroduced in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament, the party will vehemently oppose it. He accused the central government of attempting to garner support for a measure that previously failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. Speaking at a press conference following a meeting of the Congress parliamentary strategy group, Ramesh mentioned that the party has thoroughly discussed the bills likely to be presented during the session. He noted that the government has yet to share its official legislative agenda, which they expect to receive during the all-party meeting scheduled for July 19.

Concerns Over Government's Tactics

Ramesh expressed concerns that the Home Minister is trying to reintroduce the delimitation bill, which was rejected on April 17 due to the lack of a two-thirds majority, marking a significant defeat for the government. He reiterated the party's clear stance: Congress will continue to oppose the delimitation bill and strive to maintain unity among all opposition parties.

He further alleged that the government is attempting to divide opposition parties to secure the necessary numbers for passing the law. Ramesh claimed that since April 17, the Home Minister has managed to create divisions within one or two opposition parties, which he described as an affront to the Constitution. He criticized the government's efforts to cunningly achieve a two-thirds majority through such tactics, asserting that it would result in a tainted majority.

Engagement with Opposition Parties

Ramesh confirmed that they are in contact with opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who are reaching out to all parties that opposed the delimitation bill on April 16 and 17. He also mentioned the Women's Reservation Bill, stating that while Congress supports reservation for women, they oppose linking it to the proposed delimitation process.

He reiterated the party's position on reserving one-third of the seats for women in the current Lok Sabha, referencing the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023,' which includes provisions for this reservation. He explained that if one-third of the 543-member Lok Sabha is reserved for women, it amounts to 181 seats. Therefore, he urged the government to introduce the women's reservation provision independently, emphasizing that the previously proposed delimitation bill, although named after women's reservation, was actually a dangerous measure disguised as such.

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