Congress leader K C Venugopal demanded withdrawal of the proposed amendments to the women’s quota law and called for an all-party meeting on its implementation, saying the Congress would cooperate with the government.
Participating in the debate on three bills introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, and set up a delimitation commission, he alleged that the government was using women’s reservation as a weapon to undermine democracy.
“Please withdraw this bill. Call an all-party meeting on how to implement the women’s reservation bill. We will give good suggestions. We are ready to cooperate with the government. Don’t try to sabotage Indian democracy,” Venugopal said.
Opposing the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, he said the intention of the government is not to empower women through these laws, but to win elections only.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech, did not use the word "delimitation" even once, he said, adding that the opposition parties have serious concerns over the government's intentions.
The prime minister talked only about women's quota, a bill which was passed in 2023 itself, Venugopal pointed out, adding "who stopped the government" from implementing the law in 2024.
The government is also taking away the constitutional cover of the delimitation issue, he said.
"The prime minister is advising us that if you oppose this bill, then future of your politics will be in danger. What is this? Complete drama by the prime minister," he said.
Intervening in the debate in the Lok Sabha earlier, Modi said the ruling dispensation does not want praise for the implementation of the women's reservation law in 2029 and offered to give credit to the opposition.
Venugopal asked why the Modi government, which came to power in 2014, brought the women's reservation Bill to the Parliament only in 2023.
"Now, tell me who delayed it," he asked.
He also said that it was the Congress which gave India its first woman prime minister and the first woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
"We are for women's reservation," the Alappuzha MP said, adding the Congress President has written two letters to the prime minister to call an all-party meeting on this.
"What stopped you from calling the meeting?" he said, asking why the government had not convened the session after the state assembly elections.
"I am questioning your intention."
Intervening on this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Congress never came forward on the issue and only wrote letters.
"I personally requested all the leaders and political parties. They came and attended; you could have asked whatever you wanted in the meeting. Congress party never came forward, only written letter," Rijiju said, adding all parties, including DMK, Samajwadi Party and NCP-SCP attended the meeting.
Venugopal said that earlier, all delimitation legislations were approved by consensus, and the government can verify that.
He added that the government wants to portray the Congress as opposing women's reservation, but the people are witnessing these proceedings.
He also questioned who had decided how many seats would be increased.
"On what basis you decided that," he said, adding that the prime minister has earlier made "bogus" claims on job creation and black money.
"If you are sincere," then put the numbers in the legislation, he said.
The Congress leader said that the prime minister does not understand the sentiments and pain of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
"There is a pain in some states. whether we are not part of this country. That pain is there in Odisha, in Punjab, in Kerala, in Tamil Nadu, in Karnataka," he said.
He claimed that the government is doing the delimitation to win the 2029 general elections and urged it to withdraw the bill, saying that smaller states are apprehensive.
"The government should come out with a bill with 'heart', not 'brain'," he said, adding, "every state has their own place in this country. You are trying to diminish the status of some states".
(With inputs from PTI)