“If you need a guarantee, I give you a guarantee; If I need a promise, I make a promise; If the intention is clear, there is no need to play with words.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assured lawmakers that the amendments to accelerate reservation for women by 33% by 2029 — which includes providing for an increase in total seats in the Lok Sabha by 50% and implementing delimitation on the basis of the latest available census, which is effectively the 2011 census — will not discriminate or oppress anyone.
Speaking in Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister sought to allay opposition parties’ fears that the bills would lead to southern states losing their relative political power in Parliament, and that the bills were drawn up with an eye on the electoral advantages of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. He also warned that parties that opposed women’s reservations in the past had to pay a heavy price for a long time.
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“With the demarcation of the borders that occurred earlier, there will be no change in (the proportion of) Anupat…” he said, stressing that the proportional representation of the states in Parliament will remain the same and increasing the number of seats will not change the relative strength.
The Prime Minister added: “If you need a guarantee, I give you a guarantee, and if you need a promise, I give you a pledge… because if the intention is clear, there is no need to play with words.”
The opposition questioned the government regarding the lack of mention in the draft law of keeping proportional representation as it is. They also demanded to know why the draft law did not include a guarantee of an overall 50% increase in the number of seats.
But Modi dismissed these concerns. He stressed that the government’s intention to accelerate the implementation of 33% quotas for women in parliament and councils was aimed at correcting the deprivation of women of their legitimate space in decision-making, and said: “We should not mislead ourselves into believing that we are offering something to women… It is their right, which we have withheld for several decades. Today is the opportunity to atone for sins…”
The Prime Minister urged opposition leaders to put aside political differences to pass the draft law amending the constitution, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass. He repeated the appeal in the Lok Sabha, saying there was no personal glory to push him for the legislation.
He said, “If we all come together, (the decision) will not be in favor of any person or party. Rather, it will be in favor of the country’s democracy and the country’s collective decision-making authority, and we will all share the glory…”
He added: “People think there is my personal interest… If I oppose it, then obviously it will be so. But if we all go together no one will benefit. We don’t want credit. I am ready to give credit.”
Raising the issue of passing the draft laws, the Prime Minister said that this issue has been discussed for a long time, and it is time to give women their place in decision-making. He said the concept of Vixit Bharat or developed India is not limited to infrastructure and economic development alone, but envisages that 50% of the population should be part of policy making.
He said that people who want to advance and succeed in political life must agree that there are thousands of women at the grassroots level who have been leaders. “In the last 25 to 30 years, women, who have won at the grassroots level in panchayat elections, have gained political awareness. Earlier, they remained silent, understood but did not speak. They are opinion makers, they have a voice. They are agitated and want to be added to the decision-making process, which is what happens in legislative bodies,” he said.
Responding to a demand by the Congress and Samajwadi Party to create quotas for other backward caste women as well, the Prime Minister said: “Let 33% women come, they will decide who will come… Why doubt their political acumen.” The BJP had earlier pointed out that since there is no constitutional provision for OBC reservation, there cannot be any quotas within the quota.
He said that if the women’s quota is not implemented by 2029, parties will not be in a position to convince women of its seriousness. “Nirnay se zyada hamari neeyat ko dekhege…neeyat ki khot nari shakti kabhi maaf nahi kare gi…(More than the decision, it is the intention that will be scrutinized and women will not forgive any bad intention),” he said.
Smriti covers the intersection of politics and governance. Having spent more than a decade in journalism, she combines old-fashioned work with modern storytelling tools.
