NEW DELHI, APRIL 17 — Congress MP Rahul Gandhi delivered a pointed address in the Lok Sabha on Friday, asserting that the central government’s new legislative proposals regarding women’s reservation are designed to alter the country’s electoral map. Speaking during a special parliamentary session, the Leader of the Opposition maintained that the current approach prioritizes political restructuring over the genuine empowerment of women.
Gandhi stated that the government is utilizing the Women’s Reservation Bill as a shield to advance a broader agenda focused on delimitation. He declared that the proposed changes send a concerning message to southern, northeastern, and smaller states, suggesting that their political representation could be diminished to serve the interests of the ruling party. He noted that any increase in the size of the Lok Sabha must be equitable and not merely an arithmetic exercise that unfairly impacts specific regions.
The Congress leader challenged the government to immediately implement the version of the Women’s Reservation Bill passed in 2023. He affirmed that the opposition would provide instant support for the 2023 law if it were decoupled from the delimitation process. “Bring back the 2023 women’s bill and we will help you pass it this second,” Gandhi stated, emphasizing that the focus should remain on gender inclusion rather than redrawing constituency boundaries.
The address also highlighted concerns regarding the representation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Gandhi declared that the government is avoiding meaningful inclusion for these communities and asserted that a caste census is necessary to ensure fair political participation. He maintained that the current legislative path seeks to delay important demographic assessments for over a decade.
While the government has previously defended the new bill as a historic step toward operationalizing reservation by 2029, Gandhi declared that the lack of an all-party consensus on the matter is anti-democratic. He concluded his remarks by stating that the Congress party remains committed to women’s rights but will oppose any measure that undermines the federal balance of the nation.
