New Delhi: Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinath has accused the BJP government of using women’s reservations as a “political shield” for divisive motives.
Speaking at a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office on Sunday, Shrinath said the ruling party is “troubled” as the opposition has exposed their “conspiracies”.
The Constitution Amendment Bill to expand the size of the Lok Sabha and 33% fast-track reservation for women failed to get the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
In a 30-minute address to the nation on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Congress party is a parasite on regional parties and opposes any kind of reform due to selfish politics and insecurity. He added that the four major opposition parties — Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress and DMK — which helped block the amendments to Nari Shakti Vandhan Adhiniyam will face consequences.
“(The bill) was presented with good intentions and sincerity and it was an honest attempt. It was an attempt to make women partners in the progress of the country. It was an attempt to strengthen the voice of every state in Parliament, regardless of its size and population… But this sincere intention was aborted by the Congress and its allies. These four parties are responsible for the killing of female foetists,” the Prime Minister said in his televised speech, for reasons that it considers “excuses” for preventing women from obtaining their rights.
Shrinate attacked PM Modi, saying: “In those 29 minutes, he (PM Modi during the speech) took the name of Congress 58 times – meaning the Prime Minister was repeating the name of the Congress every 30 seconds; this fear sounds good because it implies that the Congress stands for the truth.”
Shrinat described the Prime Minister’s speech as a “failed attempt to shed crocodile tears.” She claimed that the government’s real intention was not to empower women but to implement “undemocratic demarcation” under the guise of the reservation bill.
“He suddenly wants to become a benefactor for half the country’s population, but the reality is that women’s reservation is not the issue; he wants to implement a divisive and undemocratic demarcation behind the shield of women’s reservation,” he said.
Speaking about the legislative deadlock surrounding the Women’s Reservation Bill, which was passed by Parliament on September 21, 2023, Shrinat said the government had introduced provisions related to census and delimitation despite unanimous support, effectively postponing the benefits of the bill for years.
Shrinat demanded the immediate cancellation of all conditions associated with the 2023 bill to grant women their rights in all 543 seats in Parliament without further delay.
She said the representation of women in the BJP in the Lok Sabha is 12.9%, which is more than the national average. “If you want to give women a reservation, bring the bill tomorrow; we will all agree to it,” Shrinat said, adding: “You are depriving women of their rights to save men, and then you are creating drama by shedding crocodile tears.”
