Congress Slams Modi over Women's Reservation Delay

The Congress party criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for delaying the implementation of women's reservation in the Lok Sabha, demanding immediate action without increasing its current strength. The party emphasized that the recent defeat concerned delimitation, not the women's reservation bill, and urged removal of any conditions impeding the bill's enactment.

On Sunday, the Congress party launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of insincerity regarding the women's reservation bill. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate alleged that Modi's tears over the reservation issue were disingenuous and called for the immediate implementation of the quota within the Lok Sabha's current strength.

While Parliament unanimously passed the women's reservation bill on September 21, 2023, Shrinate clarified that it was the delimitation proposal that was rejected, not the bill itself. The Congress further challenged Modi's sincerity, highlighting systemic issues faced by women and demanding action without preconditions.

In the recent voting for the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which sought to operationalize a 33 percent reservation for women by increasing Lok Sabha seats to 816, the proposal was defeated, failing to receive the required two-thirds majority. This development marks a significant setback for the bill's proponents and continues to fuel the debate on gender representation in politics.

(With inputs from agencies.)