Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Calls for Immediate Implementation of Women's Reservation in Current Lok Sabha
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday strongly demanded that the Modi government implement the women's reservation in legislatures within the existing Lok Sabha of 543 seats, as mandated by the 2023 Act. She asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cannot be trusted with a parliamentary overhaul, citing motivated delimitation exercises carried out by the Modi government in Assam and Jammu & Kashmir.
Opposition Support and Government Action
Priyanka Gandhi assured full opposition support for the quota in the present Lok Sabha and suggested that the government could call a Parliament session if minor changes to the law are necessary. The opposition is also planning to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the immediate implementation of the 2023 Act to ensure women's representation without delay.
Distrust Over Delimitation Practices
Addressing a press briefing, Priyanka Gandhi expressed deep skepticism about the government's intentions. "They will put three members in the delimitation commission. Like with other commissions, they will capture it. How did they do it in J&K and Assam? They broke up the constituencies of the opposition politicians and saved their own in Assam. Strange constituencies were designed in J&K. Who can trust them?" she questioned, highlighting concerns over biased electoral boundary adjustments.
Victory for Democracy and Opposition Unity
The Wayanad Lok Sabha MP described the fall of the Constitution amendment bill as a significant victory for the country, the Constitution, democracy, and opposition unity. "We saw the faces of big netas of BJP in Parliament. It was clear from their expressions that it was a shock for them, as they were defeated for the first time in 12 years. We fight harder and stand together, and we will hopefully be able to push through much more than we do," she stated, emphasizing the strength of collective opposition efforts.
Critique of Proposed Lok Sabha Expansion
Priyanka Gandhi criticized the move to increase the size of the Lok Sabha to 850 seats, arguing that it implies men are attempting to reserve their seats from being allocated to the women's quota. "We are living in a patriarchy," she remarked, pointing to systemic gender biases that hinder progress in women's political representation. Her comments underscore the ongoing struggle for gender equality in Indian politics and the need for transparent, fair implementation of reservation policies.
