The Jharkhand unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday organised a women’s protest march in Ranchi, targeting the ruling JMM-Congress-RJD alliance over the issue of women’s reservation. The Congress, however, dismissed the mobilisation as a “political show” aimed at diverting attention from key public concerns.
The march, led by Union Minister Annapurna Devi, began with a gathering at Morabadi grounds and proceeded towards Albert Ekka Chowk. BJP leaders said women from various districts participated in large numbers despite the intense heat.
Addressing the gathering, BJP leaders accused opposition parties of lacking commitment to women’s political empowerment and alleged that their conduct had hindered progress on the women’s reservation framework.
Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi said the opposition’s stance had “exposed its intent”, while state BJP president Aditya Sahu alleged that incidents of crime against women in the state reflected governance failures.
The BJP also linked the protest to broader concerns, including law and order, and claimed that women across Jharkhand were increasingly voicing dissatisfaction with the state government.
Reacting to the development, Jharkhand Congress general secretary and media in-charge Rakesh Sinha termed the rally a “political exercise without public connect” and accused the BJP of attempting to mislead voters.
He alleged that the party was seeking credit for women’s reservation while delaying its implementation, particularly by linking it to delimitation, which could defer its rollout.
The Congress further said that issues such as inflation, unemployment and women’s safety remained unaddressed.
The BJP, however, maintained that the march reflected public sentiment and asserted that women were increasingly asserting their political voice.