Women Leaders Protest NDA's Failure to Pass 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill
In a significant protest, women leaders from the NDA rallied in Patna against the failure to pass the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill. Bihar's Chief Minister, Samrat Chaudhary, criticized the opposition for their lack of genuine support for women's empowerment, highlighting the potential increase in women's representation in the legislature. He pointed out the current low number of women legislators and the positive impact of past reservation policies. The protest also saw accusations of hypocrisy directed at opposition leaders, with Tejashwi Yadav responding to the Chief Minister's remarks. This event underscores the ongoing struggle for women's political representation in India.
Apr 20, 2026, 13:47 IST
Women Leaders Organize Protest in Patna
The women leaders and activists of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) staged a 'Jan-Akrosh Women's March' in Patna on Monday to express their discontent over the failure to pass the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. Bihar's Chief Minister, Samrat Chaudhary, criticized the opposition for its lack of commitment to women's empowerment, questioning why political opportunities seem to be limited to a select few families. He emphasized that the passage of this bill would significantly enhance women's representation both in Bihar and nationally.
Current Representation and Potential Impact
Chaudhary highlighted that there are currently only 29 women legislators in the Bihar Assembly. He pointed out that if the bill were to pass, the number of women legislators could rise to at least 122. He noted that since the NDA government implemented 50% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies in 2006, the electoral participation of women has exceeded expectations. He stressed that while Bihar has a 50% reservation policy, over 59% of women are winning elections.
Criticism of Opposition Leaders
Chaudhary accused opposition leaders of hypocrisy, claiming they selectively support women's political participation. He remarked that they seem pleased when a daughter from their own family becomes an MP, yet cannot tolerate the success of another's daughter in achieving the same. In response, Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in the Bihar Assembly from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), criticized the Chief Minister's comments on the bill, alleging that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is using the bill as a pretext to push for delimitation.