Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday accused the ruling BJP of reducing ‘nari’ (women) to a mere “nara” (slogan), alleging that proposed changes to the women’s quota law were being used to delay the Census.
Participating in a debate on three bills introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, and set up a delimitation commission, Yadav said the Samajwadi Party has always supported reservation for women and furthered the cause of women-led development.
All socialist leaders have believed in gender and social justice, he said.
How many women does the BJP's "parent organisation" have in its hierarchy, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked, alluding to the RSS.
Yadav also asked how many of the 21 states and Union territories ruled by the BJP and its allies have women chief ministers.
The Delhi chief minister is a "half chief minister" as governments in Union territories have limited power, he said.
The SP chief further said, "BJP has made 'nari' into a 'nara'. How many MLAs or MPs of BJP are women?" He also alleged that by pushing for an early delimitation in the name of implementing the women's reservation law, the government is trying to delay the Census.
(With inputs from PTI)