New Delhi, 28 April (H.S.): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has firmly endorsed the “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,” pledging full support for the early implementation of the 33‑per‑cent women‑reservation law in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures. Speaking during a one‑day special session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, she applauded the Centre’s initiative under Prime Minister Narendra Modi while sharply criticising the opposition parties for what she described as an attempt to snuff out women’s political rights.

Addressing the House, the Chief Minister said the Assembly heartily welcomes all efforts to empower women, including reservation, and expresses its “full support” for the swift enforcement of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. The Act, which provides for 33‑per‑cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, has become a key political flashpoint after the failure of the related constitutional‑amendment and delimitation bills in the Lok Sabha earlier this month.

CM Gupta reiterated that the Delhi government will stand firmly behind the Centre’s push to institutionalise gender‑based quotas in elected bodies, arguing that equal representation is essential for inclusive governance and women‑led development.

Ahead of the special session, the Chief Minister led a demonstration outside the Assembly complex together with BJP legislators from the cabinet. Wearing black armbands, the members staged a symbolic protest against the opposition, accusing rival parties of blocking the passage of the women‑reservation legislation for narrow political gain. The demonstration set the tone for the debate, with BJP leaders framing the discussion both as a policy issue and a political indictment of the opposition.

Inside the Assembly, the CM charged that the Prime Minister had brought in the historic Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to secure 33‑per‑cent reservation for “the country’s sisters and daughters” in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures. “Yet again, the Opposition, immersed in the politics of power, has tried to snatch away women’s rights,” she said, adding that the women‑power of the nation would teach them a lesson in the coming days.

She warned that any party or group that obstructs the path of women’s empowerment will be held accountable by the people at the ballot box. “Those who block the way of Nari Shakti, the people will give them a fitting answer,” CM Gupta declared.

The Chief Minister concluded by reaffirming the Delhi government’s commitment to the cause. “We will ensure that the 33‑per‑cent women’s reservation is implemented in the spirit of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and that the nation’s Nari Shakti is given their rightful place in the corridors of power,” she said, positioning the law not just as a legal measure but as a cornerstone of long‑term social transformation. The one‑day session, convened specifically to discuss the stalled women‑reservation framework, underscored Delhi’s political alignment with the BJP’s national campaign to operationalise the Act.

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

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar