Congress MP Jairam Ramesh Criticizes Women's Reservation Campaign as Politically Motivated

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh has raised serious concerns regarding the motivations behind the women's reservation campaign, suggesting it is more about political gain for the BJP than genuine advocacy for women's rights. He highlighted the recent parliamentary defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill as a significant moment for the opposition, emphasizing their unity. Ramesh also questioned the government's intentions regarding the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act and criticized the delimitation processes in Assam and Jammu & Kashmir. His remarks shed light on the ongoing political dynamics surrounding women's representation and the caste census.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 20, 2026, 14:19 IST

Political Motivations Behind Women's Reservation

On Monday, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh expressed concerns that the ongoing campaign for women's reservation is driven more by political interests than genuine intentions. He emphasized that for the BJP, this issue is about maintaining power and securing their position rather than truly advocating for women's rights. Speaking to a news outlet, Ramesh described the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in Parliament as a pivotal moment for the opposition. He noted that during the three-day special session of Parliament, the triumph of democracy, the Constitution, and the federal structure was evident, while the politics of delimitation faced a setback. The focus was on delimitation, not women's reservation.

Ramesh further stated that the opposition remained completely united, marking a significant achievement as it was the first time in 12 years that they could not be divided. The bill, which proposed increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 and reserving 33% for women, failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority, receiving 298 votes in favor and 230 against. Following this, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed that the bill was not passed, leading the government to withdraw the related delimitation bill and the Union Territory Laws (Amendment) Bill.

Questioning the government's intentions, Ramesh pointed out that the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which was unanimously passed in September 2023, had not been implemented. He remarked on the sudden notification of the bill on the night of April 16, asking, "What is your (BJP's) intention? Why the rush?" He also raised concerns about the lack of proportional representation for states in the constitutional bill, despite the Home Minister mentioning it in the House. He questioned how trust could be placed in someone who makes statements that are not reflected in the bill.

Additionally, he claimed that the recent delimitation processes in Assam and Jammu & Kashmir were both dangerous and unreliable. He accused the government of evading the caste census, stating that there is no clarity on how the government plans to conduct it. He criticized the manner in which delimitation was carried out in these regions, questioning, "Why are you avoiding the caste census?"