Congress-led opposition has played with fire by derailing Women’s Reservation Bill: Hardeep Puri

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday accused the Congress-led opposition parties of “hatching a conspiracy” to derail the Women’s Reservation Bill, warning that they have “played with fire” and will face serious political consequences.

Addressing a press conference alongside Rajya Sabha MP and former National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma, Puri said the government made last-minute efforts to accommodate opposition concerns to ensure passage of the legislation.

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The leaders stressed that the bill is not merely a political issue but a social reform aimed at ensuring equitable representation for women, asserting that the opposition could face public backlash for its stance.

Puri said Amit Shah had appealed in the House for nearly an hour to incorporate suggestions, but the offer was rejected. “They were not interested in constructive engagement. This was a deliberate attempt to derail the discussion and stall a historic reform,” he said.

Alleging a coordinated effort, Puri claimed that the Congress and its alliance partners, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, All India Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, do not want the bill implemented before the 2029 general election.

“However, after listening carefully to the address to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, it is clear that the national mood is in favour of implementing this before 2029,” he added.

Describing the bill as a “transformative step” in India’s democratic journey, Puri said it marks a shift from women-centric welfare to women-led development. He reiterated that the government has remained committed to 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures since 2014, as outlined in the BJP manifesto.

Highlighting the government’s track record, Puri cited key initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment, including the construction of around 11 crore toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission and nearly three crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with ownership largely granted to women. He added that plans are underway to build an additional four crore houses.

On delimitation, Puri said it is a necessary precondition for implementing reservation. Dismissing opposition concerns that southern states would be disadvantaged, he cited parliamentary data indicating proportional seat increases in states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Accusing the opposition of spreading misinformation, the minister said, “There is no north-south divide in the proposed framework.”

He added that the government remains determined to implement the bill before the 2029 general election, reflecting what he described as the prevailing “national mood.”