New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Expressing deep regret and offering his apologies to the women of India after the Lok Sabha rejected the Constitutional Amendment Bill aimed at operationalising women’s reservation in Parliament and state assemblies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Bill, which sought to make necessary changes to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, dealing a setback to the long-pending empowerment initiative.
In his address to the nation, however, the Prime Minister described the development as a painful moment and reiterated his unwavering commitment to removing every obstacle to greater representation of women in legislative bodies.
He assured that his government would continue its efforts to ensure women get their due share in the country’s decision-making process.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders across states strongly criticised the Opposition for blocking the Bill. Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta told IANS that the Opposition has been completely exposed and has snatched away the rights due to women.
He said the people of the country would teach them a lesson in due time. Gupta added that PM Modi’s sentiments are hurt, but he will not abandon the cause, and the women of India will settle scores with those who opposed the move.
Gupta’s wife and Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Shobha Gupta, compared the Prime Minister’s address to that of a father who feels frustrated and outraged at seeing his daughters denied their rights, yet firmly resolves to protect their dignity. She affirmed that PM Modi remains steadfast in his dedication to women’s empowerment.
In Bihar, former Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha expressed profound regret, stating that the Bill would have brought glory to the nation and enhanced the dignity of Nari Shakti.
He accused the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, and Communists of misleading the public and committing a crime against women by creating an atmosphere that undermines the rights of mothers and daughters.
He warned that women would never forgive such a mindset and would deliver a fitting reply at the appropriate time.
Bharatiya Janata Party, Bihar State President Sanjay Saraogi, welcomed the Prime Minister’s address and said that PM Modi has once again reiterated his resolve to increase women’s representation in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies, while clearing all hurdles.
Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla highlighted the Prime Minister’s firm determination, noting that no force can stop a task that serves the interest of society and the nation.
He pointed out that the government had even offered to increase the reservation from 33 per cent to 50 per cent if the Opposition wished, and Home Minister Amit Shah had proposed adjourning the House for an hour to facilitate it, but the Opposition gave no response.
Minister Prahlad Singh Patel criticised the Congress for its selfish and family-centric politics, contrasting it with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s principle that the nation comes before everything else.
From Hyderabad, Bharatiya Janata Party State President Ramchandra Rao observed that the Prime Minister spoke with profound sorrow, lamenting how the Congress and the INDIA alliance had obstructed the Bill and trampled upon the rights of fifty per cent of the country’s population while celebrating the defeat.
Leaders across the Bharatiya Janata Party ecosystem emphasised that no previous government had undertaken as many initiatives for women as the PM Modi government, citing schemes such as Ujjwala, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and the original Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. They asserted that the Opposition, in trying to target the Prime Minister, has ended up depriving women of their rightful entitlements.
The development has intensified political discourse on women’s empowerment ahead of future electoral battles.
–IANS
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