Sonia Gandhi Sounds Alarm on Delimitation as Real Threat in Parliament Session
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi issued a stark warning on Monday, asserting that the Centre's reported emphasis on delimitation—rather than women's reservation—constitutes the "real issue" behind the upcoming special Parliament session. She characterized this push as "extremely dangerous" and labeled it an "assault" on the Constitution itself.
Call for Politically Equitable Delimitation
In an article published in The Hindu, the senior Congress leader argued that any initiative to augment the strength of the Lok Sabha must be "politically and not just arithmetically equitable." She stressed that states which have demonstrated effective population control measures should not face disadvantages in the delimitation process.
Gandhi accused the government of expediting legislation during ongoing election cycles in states such as Tamil Nadu and West Bengal to "derive political advantage and place the Opposition on the defensive." She remarked, "There can be only one reason for the extraordinary hurry," alleging it was solely for political gain. She further criticized the prime minister for being "economical with the truth."
Women's Reservation Already Settled, Says Congress
Referring to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, Sonia Gandhi noted that Parliament had already passed this law unanimously in September 2023. The legislation links women's reservation to a future Census and delimitation exercise under Article 334-A. "The Opposition had not asked for this condition," she clarified, adding that Congress had advocated for implementation starting from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
She questioned the reported move to amend the provision to enable implementation from 2029, asking why the government was executing a "U-turn" after 30 months. Gandhi also pointed out that Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had demanded immediate implementation, which the government declined.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi echoed these concerns, stating that the risks of a "rushed delimitation" were central to the ongoing debate. Sonia Gandhi highlighted that the law provides for "reservation within reservation" for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and noted that a similar demand for OBC women's reservation had been raised during the 2023 parliamentary discussions.
Census Delays and Caste Count Criticisms
The former Lok Sabha MP linked the issue to significant delays in the Census, noting that the 2021 exercise had been postponed and enumeration has only recently commenced after a five-year delay. She emphasized that this delay had deprived over 10 crore people of their legal entitlements under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
Gandhi argued that claims suggesting a caste census would decelerate the process were unfounded, citing quicker surveys conducted by states like Bihar and Telangana. She referenced statements by officials indicating that most Census 2027 data would be available the same year due to its digital format, labeling the government's urgency as "hollow."
Alleging inconsistency, she stated that the government had initially rejected a caste census before later announcing it as part of Census 2027. "The Prime Minister's real intention now is to further delay and derail the caste census," she claimed.
Government Proceeds with Special Session Amid Opposition Concerns
These remarks precede a special Parliament sitting scheduled from April 16 to 18, where amendments related to women's reservation are anticipated. The government is also considering a separate delimitation bill, with projections indicating that Lok Sabha seats could increase from 543 to 816.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address a 'Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan' in New Delhi, aimed at garnering support for enhancing women's representation in legislatures.
The former Congress President revealed that Opposition leaders had written three times seeking an all-party meeting after April 29 to discuss the proposals, but these requests were rejected. She criticized the government for resorting to op-eds and public outreach instead, calling it an "underhand tactic" reflective of a "my way or the highway" approach.
Gandhi also contended that there is no genuine urgency, noting that the Monsoon session begins in mid-July and proposals could have been discussed then, following broader consultation and public debate. She maintained that the process being followed is "deeply flawed and anti-democratic," asserting that "reservation for women is not the issue here… the real issue is delimitation."
"Reservation for women is not the issue here. That has already been settled. The real issue is delimitation which, based on the information unofficially available, is extremely dangerous and an assault on the Constitution itself," Sonia Gandhi wrote in her article.
