Promises to India’s women cannot become politics of postponement: Rijiju

Ahead of the upcoming special session of Parliament on the issue, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday called for urgent implementation of the women’s reservation law, cautioning against delays driven by the “politics of postponement.”

His remarks came amid Congress demand for an all-party meeting for discussions over the amendments linked to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also questioned the timing of the move and flagged the lack of clarity on delimitation.

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Rijiju, in a public post, said he had written to Kharge, urging support for timely action and placing “facts on record.” He stressed that dialogue across party lines has taken place, the time had come for decisive steps to ensure women receive their due political representation.

“For decades, women’s reservation remained a promise. This Government turned it into reality. Now, the necessary amendments linked to delimitation are crucial to ensure that our #NariShakti gets rightful representation before 2029, not pushed further into uncertainty.

“I have personally reached out, written and engaged with leaders across parties. Dialogue has happened & it continues. But at some point, intent must translate into action. Delaying implementation in the name of process is nothing but delaying justice to millions of women.

“This is not about politics. This is about keeping our promise to the daughters of India. Let us rise above hesitation .and move forward, together, for Nari Shakti,” he said

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed in 2023, provides for 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. However, its implementation is tied to the completion of the next delimitation exercise after the 2026 Census.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also written to party leaders seeking support ahead of an extended Budget session to take up amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023.

Kharge had raised concerns over the timeline and conditions attached to the implementation of the law. He said while the Congress supports women’s reservation, the government needs to build wider political consensus and ensure transparency in the delimitation process.

At the same time, he reiterated his party’s long-standing support for greater participation of women in legislatures, noting that the demand has historically enjoyed broad backing across political lines.