Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Claims Victory for Democracy After Women's Reservation Bill Defeat
Congress Leader's Strong Statements
New Delhi: On Saturday, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a prominent figure in the Congress party, accused the central government of attempting to alter the federal structure of India under the pretext of women's reservation. She declared that the Lok Sabha's rejection of the bill aimed at amending the women's quota law was a triumph for both the Constitution and the unity of the opposition.
Vadra insisted that the government should enforce the Women's Reservation Act of 2023 based on the current composition of the Lok Sabha.
She emphasized that the recent events marked a significant victory for democracy, asserting that the plot to modify the federal structure had been thwarted. This outcome, she stated, was a win for the Constitution, the opposition's solidarity, and the nation as a whole during a press briefing.
Referring to comments made by Home Minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha, where he suggested that Congress would not occupy treasury benches for years, Vadra highlighted this as indicative of the ruling party's mindset.
She pointed out that the underlying motive was to maintain power, suggesting that the government believed if delimitation was not conducted now, it would not occur before 2029.
Vadra criticized the government for using women's issues as a pretext for its agenda, claiming that they intended to manipulate delimitation to their advantage.
She argued that the government had a dual strategy: if the bill passed, it would be seen as a success; if it failed, they would portray the opposition as anti-women while positioning themselves as champions of women's rights.
However, she noted that true advocacy for women is not easily achieved, citing past incidents involving women in Hathras and the treatment of Olympic medalists.
Vadra concluded that the opposition's unity was crucial in defeating the government's proposal.
In a significant blow to the ruling party, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which aimed to establish 33 percent reservation for women in legislatures by 2029 and increase Lok Sabha seats to 816, was rejected in the Lower House on Friday.
The voting results showed 298 members in favor and 230 against, with a total of 528 members participating. The bill required 352 votes to secure a two-thirds majority.
The proposed legislation sought to raise the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 to facilitate the women's reservation law ahead of the 2029 parliamentary elections, contingent upon a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Additionally, it aimed to increase seats in state and union territory assemblies to ensure 33 percent reservation for women.
A special three-day session was held from April 16 to 18 to gain parliamentary approval for the bill.
Following the bill's defeat, Congress asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's attempt to link their controversial delimitation proposals to women's reservation had been decisively rejected in the Lok Sabha, labeling it a victory for democracy and the Constitution.