K. Kavitha Accuses Congress and BJP of Blame Game After Women's Reservation Bill Defeat
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Key Takeaways
New Delhi, April 18 (NationPress) Following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, K. Kavitha, President of Telangana Jagruthi, criticized both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their roles in what she termed a blame game regarding the unsuccessful Women's Reservation Bill.
In her statement to IANS, Kavitha declared, "Yesterday will be etched in India's history as a dark day for women's empowerment".
She placed responsibility on both the ruling NDA coalition and the Opposition, stating, "The BJP accuses the Congress, while the Congress retaliates by blaming the BJP. Ultimately, the real loss is to the women of this nation who have fought tirelessly for their rights."
Kavitha reflected on the historical context, noting, "Women played a significant role in India's freedom struggle, yet their representation in Parliament and state assemblies remains disproportionately low."
She accused the Congress of "betraying women" back in 2006, asserting that "now, after two decades, the BJP has once again let women down".
Labeling the Bill's failure as "regrettable," Kavitha emphasized the recurring association of the Women's Reservation Bill with issues like census and delimitation, stating, "Women are continuously sidelined in these discussions."
She encouraged women to remain resilient, urging them to participate in elections regardless of the outcome: "I urge the women of the country to empower themselves and step forward to contest elections."
In a related remark, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra informed reporters that the Women's Reservation Bill had been passed in 2023, with the expectation that it would be enacted for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, allotting one-third of the 540 seats to women. "However, the BJP failed to deliver on this promise," she claimed.
Moitra further alleged that the current proposal was merely a rebranding of the Delimitation Bill as the Women's Reservation Bill.
Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav asserted that those who campaigned on promises of women's safety, job opportunities, and social justice are now "spreading misinformation". She added, "In light of their poor performance in Uttar Pradesh during the last Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is attempting to create divisions among women."
Yadav pointed out the exclusion of OBC women from reservations, emphasizing, "If the BJP claims to represent half the population, they must also include OBC, minority, and Dalit women in the conversation."