New Delhi, April 18 (UNI) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday termed the Modi government's failure to pass the Constitution (131st) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha as a victory for democracy.
She said that it was "BJP's conspiracy to stay in power longer,an attempt to exploit the women of this nation for that purpose."
The bill, aimed at enabling the Women's Reservation Bill in legislatures by 2029 and increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the House.
Three key bills, the Constitution (131st) Amendment Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the union Territories (Amendment) Bill, were all defeated after the Centre could not muster the necessary numbers.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Gandhi, MP from Wayanad, said, "Yesterday was a victory for democracy. The government's attempt to weaken democracy has failed. It was a conspiracy to stay in power longer. It was an attempt to use the women of the nation for that."
She criticized the government for misleading women under the pretext of the Women's Reservation Bill. "This bill had nothing to do with women. This is what happens when the opposition is united. It was Congress that brought this thought in 1928," she said.
Gandhi urged the government to implement the Women's Quota Bill, 2023, which proposes that the reservation take effect after the next census and subsequent delimitation. "We want the 2023 legislation to pass. Make the necessary amendments, and we will fully support the bill," she added.
She also highlighted broader public grievances, saying, "The public continues to suffer with rising prices of gas, fruits, and vegetables. The burden falls disproportionately on women. This country has awakened to the fact that the government does not stand by its words. They cannot be trusted. Women, in particular, cannot trust them."
The defeat of the bills marks a rare setback for the ruling government, which requires a special majority—two-thirds of members present and voting—to pass constitutional amendments, underscoring the growing challenges it faces in Parliament.UNI AAB