Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday outlined the Opposition’s stand on the Women’s Reservation Bill, but in the midst of her intense lobbying, the tone changed briefly when she paused to remember her husband, Robert Vadra.
“During the interaction, she paused the mid-question session and said with a smile, ‘Today is my husband’s birthday, please keep it a little short,'” the congresswoman added, laughing lightly.
This remark instantly brought smiles in the room, including from Priyanka herself and other attendees. The Congress leader’s husband, Robert Vadra, celebrated his 57th birthday today, and the briefing was timed to coincide with the occasion.
The opposition points to the “intentions” of the bill
Moving from the lighter exchange to the political substance, Priyanka Gandhi has questioned the BJP government’s intention behind the proposed legislation, alleging that it has been used to change the federal structure under the guise of women’s reservation.
She said, “What happened yesterday was a great victory for democracy. The conspiracy to change the federal structure (of the country) was defeated. It was a victory for the constitution and the unity of the opposition and the country.”
In a sharper tone, she also referred to comments made by Home Minister Amit Shah during the Lok Sabha debate.
“When Home Minister Amit Shah was speaking in Lok Sabha on Friday, he said that Congress will not be able to sit on the treasury benches for years, which shows their mentality,” she said.
Allegations regarding border demarcation
Priyanka Gandhi further claimed that the proposal is linked to political calculations about demarcating borders and remaining in power until 2029.
She added: “The whole conspiracy was to stay in power. They thought that if the borders were not demarcated now, it would not be done before 2029 to stay in power.”
She added that the government was trying to frame the narrative around women’s empowerment while pursuing its own agenda.
“They thought that if the bill passed, it would be okay. If it failed, we would make the opposition appear anti-women and become the messiah of women.”
She stressed coordination between the opposition, and said: “It was not possible for the opposition to support this step. It showed that the opposition can be defeated when it is united.”
Bill’s defeat in Lok Sabha
Her remarks came a day after a major setback for the government in Lok Sabha, where the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill – which aims to provide 33% quota for women in legislative assemblies – failed to meet the two-thirds majority requirement.
While 298 deputies voted in favor of it, and 230 voted against it. Of the 528 members who participated, the bill required 352 votes to pass.
The proposal also includes increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 after the delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census, along with a corresponding expansion in state assemblies and union territories.
After the bill’s defeat, Congress described the result as a “victory for democracy and the Constitution” and said the government’s approach had been “decisively defeated” in the House of Representatives.
