Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP national president Sunetra Pawar on Saturday claimed that the opposition’s anti-women mentality has once again been exposed, alleging that the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, which provides one-third reservation for women, could not be passed in the Lok Sabha as it was deliberately not allowed to go through.

Sunetra Pawar, in her post on X, said, “It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that yesterday turned out to be a shameful day for our Indian democracy. Those who play politics in the name of women’s empowerment have themselves trampled on women’s rights. The rejection of the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for unity is not arrogance but an injustice inflicted upon the women of the country. But the fight for women’s reservation will not stop here… Nari Shakti will respond!”

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress responded on Saturday with a stinging rebuke, accusing former chief minister and BJP MP Ashok Chavan of “betraying” his own political roots and his father S.B. Chavan’s loyalty to the party. In a post on X, the Congress party urged Chavan to “honour his commitments” and accused him of shifting his stance merely to suit his new political home in the BJP.

The state Congress reminded Chavan that it was Rajiv Gandhi who pioneered women’s reservation in local bodies (Panchayati Raj), which the party later increased to 50 per cent in many states. It clarified that it is not against women’s reservation but is strictly opposed to linking it with delimitation based on the 2011 Census. The party argued that the 33 per cent quota should be implemented immediately and independently, without redrawing constituency boundaries.

Chavan on Friday said, “The constructive effort faced hurdles due to the ‘stubborn and unwarranted’ stance of opposition parties driven by political malice. This is despite the central government having provided objective and solid answers to every doubt raised.”

Chavan noted that the opposition’s overall conduct suggests it prioritised political ego over the welfare of millions of women in the country. He emphasised that while the opposition might view obstructing the implementation of women’s reservation as a victory, it is, in reality, a defeat for the interests and rights of “Nari Shakti”.

“Providing 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas is not just a political agenda for us; it is a firm resolve and a dream. Under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this dream will surely be realised sooner or later, and Indian women will inevitably secure their rightful due,” he added.

Further, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray said that the Central government’s Bill, which sought to amend the Constitution with a political motive to increase the number of Lok Sabha constituencies, suppress the voice of several states, and redraw constituencies to secure victories through unfair means, was defeated in Parliament.

“This interference in the Constitution would have been fatal not only for democracy in India but also for the Constitution itself, but this attempt was thwarted due to the unity of the opposition MPs. In truth, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in Parliament in 2023, and its notification was issued on April 16, 2026. In fact, there is a need to implement 33 per cent women’s reservation within the current seats. If the government truly holds such a stance, then it is essential to effectively implement this reservation in the 543 seats for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, as well as in all elections across the country,” said Aaditya Thackeray.

–IANS

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