DEHRADUN: Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, Congress national spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on Tuesday accused the Modi government of attempting to undermine the nation’s democratic and federal structure under the guise of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Addressing the media at the Congress headquarters in Dehradun, Shrinate termed the parliamentary discourse surrounding the bill a “strategic failure” of the BJP administration.
Shrinate alleged that the 2023 legislation was deliberately intertwined with delimitation and outdated census data, while conspicuously excluding provisions for women from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
"It was clear that the government intentionally crafted a law that was practically impossible to implement. We are unequivocally in favor of women's reservation, but we will not accept a conspiracy that seeks to divide the country in the name of women," she asserted.
The Congress leader questioned the Prime Minister’s motives, claiming the true agenda was not female empowerment but political maneuvering. "This was not about women's reservation; it was an attempt to redraw the political map and attack the Constitution. Relying on the 2011 census for delimitation is not only impractical but threatens the democratic balance and the federal structure of our nation," she added.
Shrinate further criticised the government’s track record on women’s safety, citing instances like the Unnao and Hathras cases, the agitation by female wrestlers, and the Ankita Bhandari murder in Uttarakhand.
"Whenever the dignity and security of the country's women are at stake, the government chooses silence. Manipur has been burning for months, yet the Centre remains mute. Is this your definition of women’s empowerment?" she asked.
The spokesperson emphasised that true representation cannot be achieved without a caste-based census and specific reservation for OBC women. She reminded the audience of the Congress party's legacy, citing the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments as evidence of its commitment to real political inclusion.
Also, Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal offered the party’s full support if the state government were to initiate a resolution for women's reservation.
"If Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami calls a special session of the Assembly to pass a proposal for women's reservation, the Congress will support it entirely," Godiyal stated. He went a step further, adding, "If my constituency is reserved for a woman after delimitation, I will gladly vacate my seat for a female candidate. Empowering women is our commitment."