New Delhi, 28 April (H.S.):

During a special session of the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta asserted that the time for polite appeals regarding women’s reservation has passed, declaring that the movement for political empowerment will now escalate into a mighty struggle. She underscored that while the Central Government had passed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023’—proposing the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill to ensure 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies—the legislative deadlock witnessed between April 16 and 18 marks a somber chapter in the history of Indian democracy.

The Chief Minister criticized the recent parliamentary discussions as deeply disappointing, noting that women across the nation had looked toward the Lok Sabha with immense hope, anticipating an end to a 78-year wait for equitable representation. She highlighted that despite the Constitution guaranteeing equal rights, women remain marginalized in the political sphere, occupying only 10% of seats in State Assemblies and approximately 13-14% in Parliament.

CM Gupta pointed out that the women's reservation bill has been introduced in Parliament seven times over the past 27 years, only to be repeatedly derailed by opposing factions.

CM Gupta defended the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023’ as a historic initiative, emphasizing that the government proposed necessary amendments to bypass technical delays related to delimitation. She dismissed the opposition’s objections—including demands for a quota within quota for OBC women—as mere political maneuvers designed to obstruct women's rights rather than substantive legislative critiques.

The Chief Minister maintained that the proposed model would have increased the total number of seats, ensuring 33% reservation for women without adversely affecting the representation of regional parties or southern states.

Addressing broader political tensions, the Chief Minister condemned the conduct of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing them of misappropriating Gandhian ideals like 'Satyagraha' to evade judicial processes. She characterized the opposition's celebratory response to the bill's stagnation as highly unfortunate and indicative of a deeply entrenched anti-women mindset.

CM Gupta concluded by reinforcing the supremacy of the judiciary, stating that no individual is above the law, and expressed empathy for the difficult circumstances under which her counterparts are currently operating.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar