Yogi Joins Women’s Protest March in Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday led a major ‘Jan Aakrosh Mahila Padyatra’ in Lucknow, turning the spotlight on the political battle over the defeat of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The march began from the Chief Minister’s official residence and proceeded toward the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, with the participation of senior BJP leaders, Cabinet ministers, and a large number of women supporters.
The protest was organised as a public show of anger against the rejection of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which aimed to pave the way for the implementation of women’s reservation but failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Yogi Accuses Opposition of Betraying Women
He said the protest march was a direct response to the actions of opposition parties that voted against women’s political empowerment.
“This protest rally, led by women, was held against the Congress, SP, TMC, DMK, and other parties of the INDIA alliance. They misused the opportunity given by PM Modi to shed their anti-women image,” Yogi said.
The Chief Minister further stated that the opposition had blocked a historic reform that was intended to strengthen women’s participation in governance.
“Half the Population Has Taken to the Streets”
In one of the strongest remarks of the day, Yogi said that women across the country were angry over the defeat of the Bill and that the padyatra reflected this public sentiment.
“PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah intended to implement women’s reservation by 2029, but the way SP and Congress opposed it has brought their anti-women image to the forefront. Today, half the population has taken to the streets to protest against them,” he said.
The statement signalled the BJP’s plan to turn the women’s reservation issue into a major political narrative against the opposition.
Women’s Reservation Bill Failed in Lok Sabha
The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday after it failed to obtain the constitutionally required two-thirds majority.
While 298 MPs voted in favour, 230 members voted against, leading to the collapse of the Bill in the House.
The opposition parties, including Congress, SP, TMC, and DMK, voted against the amendment, prompting the ruling alliance to accuse them of obstructing women’s empowerment for political reasons.
Government Withdraws Two Other Key Bills
Following the defeat of the women’s reservation proposal, the government also decided to withdraw two other pending legislative proposals:
- Delimitation Bill, 2026
- Union Territories Law (Amendment) Bill, 2026
The decision came after the government suffered the major legislative setback in Parliament.
Soon after the vote, NDA MPs staged protests within the Parliament complex, expressing anger over the rejection of the constitutional amendment and accusing the opposition of denying women greater political representation.
BJP Turns Bill Defeat Into Political Flashpoint
Tuesday’s padyatra in Lucknow has made it clear that the BJP intends to politically capitalise on the defeat of the Women’s Reservation Bill, especially by targeting opposition parties over their stand.
By placing women at the centre of the protest and leading the march himself, Yogi Adityanath sent a clear political message that the BJP wants to frame the issue as a fight between those supporting women’s empowerment and those opposing it.
With protests now moving from Parliament to the streets, the women’s reservation debate is set to become an even bigger political flashpoint in the coming days.
Why did Yogi Adityanath lead a protest march in Lucknow?
Yogi led the march to protest the defeat of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha and to accuse opposition parties of opposing women’s empowerment.
Which parties did Yogi target during the protest?
He targeted Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, DMK, and other INDIA alliance parties for voting against the Bill.
Why was the Women’s Reservation Bill defeated?
The Bill failed because it did not secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha.
What happened after the Bill was defeated?
The government withdrew the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Law Amendment Bill, while NDA MPs protested inside Parliament.
