Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday criticised the Opposition, including the Indian National Congress and the Samajwadi Party, alleging that they had effectively decided not to support greater representation for women in legislatures.
She questioned the intent of Opposition parties, claiming they were not in favour of women emerging as leaders beyond their own families.
Reacting to the defeat of the Bill aimed at accelerating 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, which failed to secure the required two-thirds majority on Friday, Gupta said women across the country were demanding equality, but the Opposition was viewing the issue through a political lens.
Sharpening her attack, she noted that while the number of Lok Sabha seats was fixed at 543 in 1971, there is now a need to increase representation in line with population growth.
Referring to the developments in Parliament, Gupta described the episode as “painful and deeply disappointing” for women aspiring for dignity and equal rights.
Registering her protest, she wore a black band at a summit organised by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), criticising what she termed the Opposition’s “anti-women” stance.
She said the proposed reform was transformative but expressed regret that some parties chose narrow political considerations over women’s empowerment.
“As a woman Chief Minister, this is not merely political—it is about dignity and sensitivity,” she said, adding that a crucial opportunity to give crores of women a role in decision-making had been lost.
Gupta also rejected the arguments put forward by parties opposing the Bill, calling them baseless and reflective of an anti-women mindset. She further alleged that this was not the first instance of the Congress and its allies obstructing women’s empowerment.
Speaking at the National Women Entrepreneurs Summit 2026 organised by CAIT, she highlighted the growing role of women entrepreneurs and said India’s startup ecosystem is expanding rapidly under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with women making significant contributions across sectors.
The event was attended by Chandni Chowk MP and CAIT National General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal, along with a large number of women entrepreneurs who shared their experiences and reaffirmed their commitment to contributing to India’s growth.