SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav Accuses BJP of Using Women's Bill as a Smokescreen for Delimitation
In a sharp critique on Friday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Modi government is employing the Women's Reservation Bill as a cover to obscure the true intent of the delimitation exercise. Speaking to reporters at the Parliament building in Lucknow, Yadav claimed the BJP aims to redraw the boundaries of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies to ensure it never loses elections.
Allegations of Constitutional Disregard and Electoral Manipulation
Akhilesh Yadav expressed frustration over the BJP's decision-making, drawing parallels to past instances like the SIR (Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls) in Uttar Pradesh, which he said morphed into an NRC (National Register of Citizens)-like process. He questioned what new documents people might be asked for if a formal NRC is announced in the future.
"It is difficult to understand the BJP and its decisions," Yadav stated. "Now, under the garb of women reservation, they plan to get delimitation done as per their whims and fancies so that they never lose elections."
Reiterating the SP's support for women's reservation, Yadav emphasized that the issue lies in the BJP's blatant disregard for the Constitution and democracy. He pointed to examples in Assam and Jammu and Kashmir, where delimitation was conducted in ways that favored the BJP, and criticized unfulfilled promises of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and Leh-Ladakh.
Dimple Yadav Targets Modi Government in Lok Sabha Debate
While Akhilesh Yadav attacked the BJP outside Parliament, his wife and SP's Mainpuri MP, Dimple Yadav, took the fight to the Lok Sabha. Participating in the debate on the Women's Reservation Bill, she asserted that the SP opposes the proposed amendment in its current form, deeming it unconstitutional.
Dimple Yadav accused the BJP of tabling the bill to spread confusion, suggesting it is an attempt to divert attention from slipping votes and avoid the implications of a caste census. "Your sole aim is to run away from the data that the caste census will throw up," she said.
Later, speaking to reporters, she outlined the SP's stance: the women's bill should be implemented as passed in 2023, with a sequence of census, delimitation, and then reservation of seats. She questioned the BJP's hurry, arguing that delimitation based on 20-year-old data will not adequately address women's rights.
SP MP Anand Bhadauria Highlights BJP's Delayed Action
Adding to the criticism, SP MP Anand Bhadauria noted that the Women's Reservation Bill passed in 2023 was left unnotified until recently, being made an Act only yesterday. He suggested this delay speaks volumes about the BJP's commitment to women's reservation, implying it is more about political maneuvering than genuine empowerment.
The Samajwadi Party's unified front against the bill underscores broader concerns about electoral integrity and democratic processes, with leaders accusing the BJP of using legislative measures to secure long-term political advantages.
