A day after the Women’s Reservation Bill failed to clear the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharply criticised opposition parties, accusing them of letting down women across the country and warning of political consequences.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which proposed reserving 33% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, fell short of the required two-thirds majority. Despite securing 298 votes in favour, the legislation was opposed by 230 MPs following a heated and prolonged debate that stretched late into the night.
According to sources, the Prime Minister told his cabinet that the opposition’s decision not to support the Bill was a “serious mistake” and that they would have to answer to the women of India. He reportedly emphasised that the message of this “missed opportunity” should reach “every village and every citizen.”
During his address in Parliament, Narendra Modi had appealed to all parties to rise above politics and support the legislation, calling it a matter of national interest. He also sought to ease concerns over delimitation, assuring that no injustice would be done to southern states even if the total number of Lok Sabha seats increases from 543 to 816.
Backing the Prime Minister, Amit Shah reiterated that the representation of southern states would not diminish and could even see a marginal increase. The government maintained that the Bill was a historic step toward empowering women and accused opposition parties of creating unnecessary doubts to block it.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju went a step further, calling the Bill’s defeat a “black stain” on the Congress and its allies. He warned that the electorate, particularly women, would hold the opposition accountable for obstructing what he described as a landmark reform.
Opposition leaders, however, defended their stance, stating that they were not against women’s reservation in principle but objected to the government’s approach. Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Bill was being used as a political tool to pave the way for electoral changes through delimitation that could benefit the ruling party.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra described the Bill’s defeat as a victory for opposition unity, arguing that the government had failed to build consensus on such a critical issue.
The failure of the Women’s Reservation Bill marks a significant legislative setback for the government and sets the stage for a larger political battle. While the ruling party is positioning the issue as one of missed opportunity and accountability, the opposition is framing it as a resistance against alleged political manoeuvring.
As both sides prepare to take their arguments to the public, the debate over women’s representation, electoral fairness, and federal balance is likely to intensify in the months ahead.
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