Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has expressed strong displeasure over the developments in the Lok Sabha regarding the Women’s Reservation Constitutional Amendment Bill.
Addressing a press conference at the state unit office of the BJP on Sunday, she said what has been witnessed in Parliament over the last three days is deeply unfortunate, an injustice to the women in the country.
Rekha Gupta lamented that even after 78 years of independence, the daughters of the nation are struggling for their rights. The Opposition parties that once gave the slogan “I am a girl, I can fight” have now stepped back from this fight and are calling it a victory of democracy, she remarked, questioning how democracy can win when daughters lose.
Speaking to reporters, CM Gupta said the Women’s Reservation Bill has been repeatedly introduced in Parliament over the past 30 years but each time it has been stalled on one pretext or another, torn, suppressed, or even burned. Once again, the Opposition deliberately created various arguments to prevent its passage.
She clarified that the Bill passed in 2023 clearly states that reservation for women will be implemented after delimitation. In this context, opposing the same provision now is contradictory. “If this condition was accepted in 2023, what is the basis of opposition today,” she asked.
Responding to the Opposition’s argument for providing 33 per cent reservation within the existing 543 seats, the CM said if that is the case, it should first be clarified which male representatives are ready to give up their seats.
She stated that the Central government’s proposal was a “win-win” solution, where the number of seats would be increased to provide 33 per cent reservation to women without affecting any existing representatives, while also safeguarding the representation of states and regional parties.
Gupta noted that Lok Sabha seats have remained fixed at 543 since 1971, when the country’s population was around 50 crore, whereas at present it is over around 140 crore. Therefore, redistribution and expansion of seats is the need of the hour.
Criticizing the Opposition’s demand for “quota within quota”, she said it is merely an excuse and alleged that Opposition wants everything at once, but is not even willing to agree on the basic right of giving women an opportunity to reach the Parliament and state assemblies.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said he even told the Opposition to take the credit for the Bill if they wished, but pass it in the interest of women, yet they they refused to do so.
According to Gupta, at a time when the census and delimitation process are due, the full implementation of the Bill by 2029 appears difficult. Under the current circumstances, why should women have to wait another several years for their rights?
At the press conference, several women leaders, including MLA Poonam Bhardwaj, Delhi BJP Vice President Yogita Singh, Lata Gupta, Mahila Morcha President Richa Pandey, and others expressed their strong support to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act and PM Modi.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA Shikha Rai said the BJP had already made its intentions clear on the Nari Shakti Vandan Act when Rekha Gupta was made the CM, calling it a stepping stone for other women aspiring to enter politics.
She alleged that the formal entry of women into the Lok Sabha and state legislatures was obstructed, particularly by the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi.