Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Sunday described April 17 as a “black day”, alleging that Opposition parties had obstructed the passage of a Constitution Amendment Bill providing 33% reservation for women in legislatures.
The Bill, which also proposed increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha to 816, was defeated on Friday.
Addressing reporters at the BJP office in Lucknow, Annpurna Devi said, “April 17 of the 21st century will be known as a black day.”
She added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, significant efforts had been made since 2014 to economically and socially empower women, and that political empowerment was the next step.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after 2014, work has been done to economically and socially empower women. And, now it was the turn to politically empower them,” she said.
She said that women across the country had been hopeful that the session would secure for them rights long denied.
“But, the ugly and anti-women mindset, which is a part of the habit of the INDI alliance, ‘latkana’ (keep hanging), ‘bhatkana’ (diverting) and ‘atkana’ (getting stuck) any good work was once again proved on April 17 during voting on the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. They not only voted against the bill, they broke the hearts of half of the population, they broke their expectations and aspirations,” she said.
Targeting Opposition parties, she said, “The Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress and the DMK always wanted that women do not get their rights.
When the numbers came up in the House, they were celebrating. In other words, they did not want women to get their rights. Women have now woken up, and they will give a reply to the Congress, SP, DMK and the TMC in the future.”
(With inputs from PTI)
