New Delhi, April 17 (NationPress) On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphatically declared in the Lok Sabha that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological ancestor, the Jan Sangh, have continually advocated for increased women's involvement in both Parliament and state-level politics.

During the discussion concerning the Women's Reservation Bill and associated delimitation methods in the special session of Parliament, HM Shah provided historical evidence to highlight the consistent growth in women's representation throughout the years.

He pointed out that the inaugural Lok Sabha comprised only 22 female members. This figure rose to 51 in the 14th Lok Sabha, achieved a peak of 71 in the 17th Lok Sabha, and currently stands at 75 in the 18th Lok Sabha.

“This evident upward trajectory signifies the increasing acceptance and support of women in the political arena,” HM Shah asserted.

“Nevertheless, we must create a significantly larger platform to further boost this participation and give it the momentum it rightfully deserves.”

The Home Minister stressed that the current government has backed women’s empowerment in both principle and practice.

He reminisced about the groundbreaking contributions of several female leaders from the BJP in managing state governments.

Figures like Uma Bharti, who led Madhya Pradesh as Chief Minister, Anandiben Patel from Gujarat, Sushma Swaraj, and Vasundhara Raje of Rajasthan were recognized as pioneers who guided their states with excellence.

HM Shah also noted that Delhi currently has a woman Chief Minister, contrasting this with the Congress party, which has never appointed a woman to that role in any state throughout its long history of governance.

These comments emerged during the House's debate on constitutional amendments designed to facilitate the swift implementation of 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

HM Shah’s remarks aimed to counter opposition critiques by reaffirming the BJP’s longstanding dedication to women's political representation, distancing it from any notion of being a recent or politically motivated initiative.

The discussions in Parliament were intense, focusing on the connection between the women’s quota and the delimitation process, as well as the proposed increase in the Lok Sabha's size.

The government has asserted that these measures are crucial to ensuring that the reservation does not diminish the number of available general seats.

HM Shah's address reinforced the ruling party's stance that empowering women in politics is a fundamental priority, sustained by ideological support tracing back to the Jan Sangh era.

Such statements are anticipated to influence further discussions and votes on the pivotal Bills in the hours to come.