Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday launched a strong attack on the Centre after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, accusing the government of using the women’s reservation issue as a political tool rather than making a genuine effort to empower women.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Priyanka Gandhi said the opposition alliance had made its position clear from the beginning and alleged that the bill was not truly aimed at women’s reservation but was linked to a larger political agenda involving delimitation.
Priyanka Gandhi questions Centre’s intentions
“Our stand is very clear. The entire INDIA alliance has made its stand very clear, and this vote has made it even clearer that, in our understanding, this bill that was introduced and the three-day discussion was not about women’s reservation; it was solely about delimitation,” she said.
“The way they have brought this bill, the things they have attached to it… it’s very clear that they knew this bill was not going to be able to be passed. They just wanted the political credit,” she alleged.
Opposition offers support for 2023 bill
Priyanka Gandhi said the opposition remained fully committed to women’s reservation and urged the government to bring back the 2023 legislation that had earlier received unanimous support.
“We will say from every platform… bring that 2023 legislation which was passed, make whatever change you want to get it done by 2029, we will fully support it,” she said.
She further accused the government of trying to mislead women voters by linking the issue with other political calculations instead of ensuring immediate implementation.
Calls it ‘a huge victory for democracy’
Describing the bill’s defeat as a setback for the ruling party, Priyanka Gandhi termed it “a huge victory for democracy.”
“What happened yesterday was a huge victory for democracy. The government’s conspiracy to alter the federal structure and weaken democracy was defeated,” she said.
She also remarked that the outcome was a “Black Day” for the Centre, claiming that women across the country had seen through what she described as political theatrics.
Political tensions rise over women’s reservation
The remarks have intensified the political battle over women’s reservation, with the opposition accusing the government of politicising the issue, while the Centre maintains that the bill was a historic attempt to increase women’s representation.
The latest exchange signals that the women’s reservation issue is likely to remain a major political flashpoint in the coming months.
Q1. What did Priyanka Gandhi say about the Women’s Reservation Bill?
She accused the Centre of using the bill for political credit and called its defeat a victory for democracy.
Q2. Why did the opposition oppose the bill?
The opposition alleged that the bill was linked to delimitation and was not solely about women’s reservation.
Q3. What alternative did Priyanka Gandhi propose?
She urged the government to bring back the 2023 Women’s Reservation Bill and promised full opposition support.
Q4. Why is this politically important?
The bill’s failure has intensified political tensions over women’s representation and constitutional reforms.
