The Congress on Friday said the “nefarious attempt” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to link their “dangerous delimitation proposals” with women’s reservation had been decisively defeated in the Lok Sabha, describing the outcome as a victory for democracy and the Constitution.
The opposition party also said the defeat had raised questions over the legitimacy of what it termed the “non-biological, non-grihasthi PM.”
In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Prime Minister and Home Minister had made a mischievous attempt to tie delimitation proposals to women’s reservation, an issue he said had already been settled, and asserted that the move had now been rejected in the Lower House.
"This is a win for our democracy, our federalism, and the Constitution. This also calls into question the legitimacy of the non-biological, non-grihasthi PM," Ramesh said.
"The next steps for the Modi Government are clear -- they should implement 33 per cent reservation for women in the existing set up of the Lok Sabha for the 2029 elections," he said.
"This has been the consistent demand of the entire Opposition ever since September 2023 when the Parliament unanimously passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Act 2023 - which finally got notified only late last night," Ramesh said.
His remarks came on Friday, minutes after the Constitution amendment bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of seats of the Lok Sabha was defeated in the Lower House.
While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
(With inputs from PTI)
