NEW DELHI: When the NDA failed to secure passage of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha, its leaders staged a protest within the Parliament premises against Opposition parties, including the Congress, for not supporting the Bill during voting.
They accused the Opposition of being against women’s reservation in legislative bodies.
Following the Bill’s failure, NDA MPs convened a meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deliberate on their post-vote strategy.
According to sources, the alliance plans to continue raising the issue among women voters to highlight the Opposition’s stance on women’s reservation.
Sources further indicated that NDA leaders agreed to expose the Congress and other parties over what they described as an anti-women’s reservation position. The BJP-led NDA reportedly fell short by 52 votes of the two-thirds majority required to pass the constitutional amendment.
Making an all-out attack on the Opposition, senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh criticised the Congress for not supporting the Bill.
In a post on X, Singh said, “Today marks an extremely unfortunate day in the history of Indian democracy. During the special session of Parliament, the NDA government introduced the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, aimed at providing one-third reservation for women. By voting against this bill in the Lok Sabha today, the Congress-led INDIA alliance has exposed its anti-women character.”
He said the legislation was not merely a Bill but an opportunity to empower “Nari Shakti” and accord women the dignity they deserve.
Singh added that Prime Minister Modi had appealed to all political parties to rise above partisan politics and heed the voice of their conscience, but the Opposition had sacrificed the cause of women’s empowerment and dignity for narrow political interests.
“The entire nation will forever remember that the Opposition prioritised its own political self-interest over the interests of the nation and society,” he said.
Criticising Congress leaders and the Opposition for celebrating the defeat of the legislation, NDA’s principal strategist Amit Shah said in a series of posts on X, “How can anyone celebrate victory after betraying half the country’s population — 700 million women — and forfeiting their trust?”
“This celebration by the Opposition is an insult to every woman who has been awaiting her rights for decades. How many times will the Congress and its allies betray women?” he asked.
Targeting the Congress further, Shah said, “Often, the arrogant elation that appears to be a victory is, in reality, a profound defeat lying hidden beneath the surface — a truth that some fail to comprehend.”
He alleged that the Opposition’s stand had laid bare the contradiction between its words and deeds, and said the people would now directly seek answers from them.
Despite the Bill failing to pass in the Lok Sabha, Shah said the NDA government’s resolve had only strengthened.
“The NDA government will continue to carry forward the fight for women’s dignity and empowerment,” he said.
He also said a “bizarre scene” unfolded in the Lok Sabha when the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Samajwadi Party celebrated the defeat of a Bill aimed at granting 33 per cent reservation to women.
“Consequently, the women of this country will now be denied 33 per cent reservation in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies — a right that was rightfully theirs,” Shah said.
He added that this was not the first time the Congress and its allies had acted in such a manner, alleging that such a mindset served neither the interests of women nor those of the country.
Shah said the Opposition would face the “wrath of women” not only in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, but in every election across the country.
Criticising the Opposition, BJP MP Giriraj Singh said the country’s “Nari Shakti” had witnessed how the INDIA bloc and Congress defeated the women’s reservation Bill.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad also attacked the Congress, alleging that the party, particularly Rahul Gandhi, opposes everything.
“When the Modi government is committed to women’s empowerment, the Opposition opposed it. It is evident that they are against Nari Vandan and women’s representation. The women of the country will not forgive them,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, addressing the media in Parliament, sharply criticised the Congress and its allies, particularly the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK and the wider INDIA alliance, for blocking the Bill.
He said the day could have been “written in golden letters”, but accused the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, of betraying half the nation’s population.
Nabin said the moment could have ensured fair representation for women, but instead they were denied their rightful share.
“Through this entire episode, the anti-women character of the Congress alliance has been thoroughly and completely exposed,” he alleged.
He emphasised that BJP leaders, including the Prime Minister, were not seeking credit and described it as a fight for women’s rights, not recognition.
Nabin claimed the Congress had harmed its own standing and said the BJP would now take the issue to the streets, asserting that women across the country would unite against the Opposition.
He also criticised the language used by Rahul Gandhi and his team in the House, calling it reflective of an “anarchist mindset”.
Meanwhile, NDA allies also slammed the Opposition.
JD(U) MP Sanjay K Jha said April 17 would be remembered as a day when democracy was “throttled” in the Lok Sabha.
He accused the Opposition of resisting women’s empowerment and contrasted it with efforts by leaders such as Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi to promote women’s participation.
“This was not merely a legislative moment. By blocking it, the Opposition has once again revealed its disconnect from women’s aspirations,” he said.
NDA Rajya Sabha member, Upendra Kushwaha also criticised the Opposition, saying it had blocked women’s entry into legislatures.
He noted that OBC reservation would only be feasible after a caste census and highlighted that the Bill already provided for SC/ST women.
Kushwaha said his party would also take the issue to the people.
