New Delhi, 18 April (H.S.): Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju has refused to brand the failure of the Lok Sabha to pass the constitutional amendment bill on women’s reservation as a defeat of the government. Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday, after the closure of the Budget session, he insisted that the non‑passage of the women’s reservation bill should not be seen as a “failure of the government,” but rather as a regrettable setback caused by the absence of cooperation from the opposition, particularly the Congress.

Rijiju accused the opposition parties of “doing a great injustice to the women of the country” by letting politics of expediency undermine a critical legislative priority. He argued that the bill, which sought to reserve one‑third of Lok Sabha and state‑legislature seats for women, required a two‑thirds majority and that the government was fully committed to securing it, but the numbers fell short due to the opposition’s unwillingness to back it.

Defending the substantive intent behind the bill, Rijiju dismissed allegations that the move was “unconstitutional” or “undemocratic,” specifically reacting to comments reportedly made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He asked how granting more rights to women could be construed as contrary to the Constitution or the spirit of democracy, calling such reasoning “beyond comprehension.” He added that the reservation framework was conceived as a necessary step toward strengthening representative democracy by enhancing women’s political participation and empowerment.

The minister painted the opposition’s stance as one of tokenism, saying that opposition parties went through the motions of debate but avoided genuine cooperation on key issues. He alleged that the Congress, in particular, harboured an “anti‑women mindset” and had actively sabotaged a measure that would have boosted women’s presence in Parliament and state assemblies.

Rijiju claimed that the women of the country are fully aware of the political dynamics behind the bill’s collapse and will “respond in due time” to the attitudes displayed by the opposition. He warned that the opposition would eventually have to face the “anger of women” for blocking a measure that sought to mainstream their voices in governance.

At the same time, he described the Budget session overall as largely successful, noting that the bulk of the government’s legislative and business agenda was carried out smoothly. Yet he acknowledged that the non‑passage of the women’s reservation bill remained a significant shortcoming in an otherwise positive session.

Reiterating the government’s commitment, Rijiju affirmed that efforts to secure women’s rights will continue and that every possible step will be taken in the future to push for the passage of the reservation bill. He concluded by stating that women’s empowerment is a core priority of the government and that the initiative will be advanced “at any cost,” underscoring that the agenda of gender‑inclusive representation is not negotiable.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar