NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday met a delegation from the party’s women’s wing and reaffirmed the Congress’s commitment to enhancing opportunities for women, amid internal dissent over proposed amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
In a post on X, Tharoor said he had assured members of the Mahila Congress that the party “stood with them all the way” on the issue of women’s reservation. His remarks come shortly after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) formally opposed the Centre’s proposed amendments to the law, even while reiterating its long-standing support for a 33 per cent quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The CWC, which met at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday, raised concerns over the government’s approach, describing it as “unilateral and opaque.” In his statement, Tharoor noted that the party had historically championed women’s reservation, including introducing and passing a similar Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2013. However, he warned that the current push for amendments—especially when coupled with a delimitation exercise—could disrupt the federal balance.
Congress leaders expressed particular concern about the potential impact on southern and northeastern states, arguing that delimitation based on population changes could disadvantage regions that have successfully controlled population growth. The party also accused the Centre of attempting to use a proposed special session of Parliament to gain political mileage ahead of upcoming elections and in the run-up to the 2029 general election.
“Congress remains committed to one-third reservation for women, but it must be inclusive and fair,” Tharoor said, adding that the legislation should not undermine parliamentary deliberation or federal principles.
The issue has also triggered friction within the party. Hazeena Syed recently alleged that the women’s wing had been sidelined in ticket distribution for the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly elections, claiming promises of 33 per cent representation were not fulfilled. She has since been expelled from her post over alleged anti-party activities.
Meanwhile, the Centre is reportedly preparing amendments that would expand the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats, with at least 273 seats reserved for women—roughly one-third of the total. The Union Cabinet has already cleared a draft amendment to operationalise the law, which was enacted as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023. The changes are expected to come into effect ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The legislation marks a significant step toward improving gender representation in Indian politics, though its implementation continues to spark political debate.
(With inputs from ANI)