Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said by obstructing the passage of the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ in Parliament the Opposition hindered women’s rights. He alleged that Congress has so far only engaged in pretence in the name of providing reservations to women, without taking concrete steps in this direction.
The Chief Minister was addressing a Press Conference at Rohtak on Sunday. West Delhi MP, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, BJP State President, Mohan Lal Kaushik and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
He said on April 16 and 17, the Opposition opposed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ Bill in Parliament, thereby undermining women’s rights. What happened in Parliament was not only undemocratic but also a significant setback to the future of half of the country’s population. This has exposed the true face of Opposition parties such as the Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC and DMK.
He alleged that these parties have once again demonstrated their anti-women mindset and political opportunism when it comes to granting rights to women.
The Chief Minister said it was a historic opportunity to ensure constitutional rights for women, but the Opposition sacrificed it for narrow political interests.
He said that on April 16, 2026, the Central government introduced three revolutionary Bills in the Lok Sabha— The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill. The objective behind these Bills was clear: Under the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’, reservation for women was to be implemented after the Census and delimitation process post-2026. However, the Central government realised that waiting for the Census and a lengthy delimitation exercise would have delayed the benefits of 33 per cent reservation for women even in the 2029 general elections.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a bold decision to delink reservation from the Census condition so that women could get 33 per cent reservation in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections itself. Reiterating that women’s participation is not a matter of charity but a matter of right, he accused the Opposition of betraying half of the population.
The Chief Minister, questioning the Opposition’s stance, said these parties fear women’s empowerment as it would challenge their dynastic politics. He alleged that Congress formed committees and delayed decisions for years without granting actual rights to women. Whereas, the Prime Minister Modi ensured respect to women through the legislation.
He further lamented that misinformation was being spread in the name of delimitation claiming that certain states would be disadvantaged. However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah clarified in Parliament that no state’s representation would be reduced and that seat increases would be balanced. Despite the assurance, Opposition leaders continued to mislead the public.
The Chief Minister further said that when India’s population was 54 crore in 1971, Lok Sabha seats were fixed at 550, whereas today the population has reached around 140 crore. Therefore, increasing the number of seats to 850 is necessary for fair representation. He clarified that the Centre’s model proposes a uniform 50 per cent increase in seats across states, ensuring no region suffers any loss. For example, the current share of South Indian states is 23.76 per cent, which would increase to 23.87 percent under this new model. Tamil Nadu’s seats were to increase from 39 to 59, and Karnataka’s from 28 to 42.
He alleged that Opposition parties opposed the Bills only to divert attention by raising unconstitutional demands such as religion-based reservation. He also accused Congress of adopting a double standard, citing past instances like the Shah Bano case.
The Chief Minister said historically, Congress politics has been driven by delay and obstruction. It has opposed several key reforms, including the Triple Talaq law, abrogation of Article 370, discussions on Uniform Civil Code, One Nation One Election, electoral roll purification, Waqf reforms and the Citizenship Amendment Act.
He warned the opposition that women of the country would not forgive attempts to politicise their rights and said that from villages to cities, women are already leading across sectors. He questioned why the Opposition fears their participation in Parliament. It has not merely opposed a single Bill, but has attempted to crush the aspirations of women across the country.
He contended that by obstructing the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the Opposition has undermined democratic values and dignity. He asserted that women will respond strongly through their votes in the future.
Speaking on the occasion, MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said the government has decided to include caste-based data in the Census, which could delay the process. The government introduced three amendment Bills in Parliament with a primary objective of ensuring that women receive the benefit of 33 per cent reservation in the 2029 general elections by separating the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam from the delimitation process. Accusing the Opposition of being anti-women, she said the public will respond accordingly in the future.