Rift Between Rahul Gandhi and Kiren Rijiju Over Women's Reservation Bill

Debate on Women's Reservation Bill Intensifies

New Delhi, August 8 - A heated exchange unfolded in the Lok Sabha between Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, and Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, regarding the Women's Reservation Bill. The discussion gained traction on social media when Rijiju referenced a video from Gandhi, expressing hope that the Congress party would support the bill. In response, the former Congress president asserted that the Women's Reservation Bill had already been unanimously passed in 2023 and cautioned against linking it unnecessarily to the delimitation process.

Gandhi addressed Rijiju in a post on 'X', stating, 'As the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, who better than you should know that the Women's Reservation Bill was passed unanimously in 2023, with full support from Congress?' He further questioned, 'Why has it not been implemented three years later, and why do you want to link it to delimitation without reason?'

He emphasized, 'Implement the 2023 law without any conditions.'

Earlier, Rijiju had reposted a video message from Gandhi regarding women's empowerment and expression on 'X', taking a jab at the Congress leader. He remarked, 'This seems like a positive message from the Congress party. There is a clear shift in Rahul Gandhi's stance towards women.'

Rijiju expressed hope that the Congress party would support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally.

In the video released on Friday, Gandhi highlighted that women in India are not given the freedom to express themselves or think expansively. He stated, 'Women in India are not allowed to express themselves. They are not permitted to imagine.'

He added, 'I believe that no country can succeed unless its women are allowed to express themselves.' Gandhi stressed that a significant part of his political agenda, as well as that of the country, should focus on conveying that without women's expression, the nation remains blocked and incomplete.

This exchange between Rijiju and Gandhi comes at a time when the government is working to build consensus on the constitutional amendment bill concerning women's reservation and delimitation. Rijiju has reached out to Gandhi multiple times recently to resolve the ongoing deadlock in Parliament.