Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 19 (ANI): Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday defended the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and took a swipe at the Congress over women’s reservation, alleging the opposition party lacked the “intent” to implement it despite raising the issue for decades.
Speaking to ANI, Singh said, “Congress kept saying this for decades. But they didn’t have the guts or intent to implement it. If we want to implement it for the 2029 elections, we do not have enough time to wait for the ongoing census data and then wait for delimitation. They (Opposition) do not want this to happen.”
“This should be viewed in the context of PM Narendra Modi’s priorities in the last 11-12 years. Soon after the formation of the government, PM Modi had said that his government would be dedicated to the poor. He had then said that he knows just four castes — women, youth, poor and farmers,” Singh added.
He said the move should be seen in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-standing priorities.
Recalling the government’s initiatives for women, Singh added, “How can we forget that in his first Independence Day speech from Red Fort, the PM spoke of cleanliness. He spoke of constructing toilets in the schools and colleges for girls. This became a people’s movement, and 4 lakh toilets were built in the first year itself. PM Modi then brought Ujjwala Yojana as he was concerned for their health and convenience.”
“The same government gave the slogan of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. It allowed for girls’ admission in Sainik Schools. It allowed for women soldiers in combat operations… A level playing field was presented. The potential of women in this country was unlocked by PM Modi. This was waiting to happen,” he added.
Linking it to the reservation push, Singh said, “In the same series, it was realised that it is women-led development and so it is essential for women to be a part of the decision-making process. So, this 33% reservation was discussed.”
On April 17, Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha voted against the Constitution Amendment Bill.
During the three-day Special Session from April 16 to April 18, multiple leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussed the bill. Multiple Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress leader KC Venugopal, also participated in the discussion.
The 131st Constitution Amendment Bill to implement women’s reservation failed to pass in the Lok Sabha as the INDIA bloc refused to vote in favour of the delimitation process.
The Lok Sabha took up the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill together for passing. In the division that took place on the Constitution Amendment Bill following the debate on the three bills, 298 members voted in favour and 230 against.
With the Constitution Amendment Bill defeated, the government later said it did not want to pursue the two other linked bills since they were interrelated. (ANI)