New Delhi, April 12 (NationPress) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed his concerns in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the government of "rushing" the implementation of the Women's Reservation (Amendment) Bill to achieve "political advantage" instead of genuinely focusing on women's empowerment.

A Special Session of Parliament is set for next week to discuss and potentially pass the Women's Reservation (Amendment) Bill.

PM Modi has reached out to floor leaders from all political parties in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, requesting their consensus for the swift passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to facilitate women's reservation prior to the 2029 elections.

In response to the Prime Minister's correspondence, Kharge stated, "I have just received your letter concerning the special session of Parliament to discuss the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam starting April 16. As you are aware, the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 was unanimously approved by Parliament in September 2023."

"At that time, I, representing the Indian National Congress, had insisted that this significant legislation should be implemented without delay. Although your letter mentions a broad agreement for its immediate execution, this has yet to happen," he remarked.

The Congress leader called for a comprehensive all-party meeting regarding delimitation, which he pointed out is linked to the modifications proposed in the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023. He further alleged that the special session was summoned without proper consultation with the opposition.

"You will recognize that without clarity on delimitation and other related matters, it will be challenging to engage in any constructive dialogue on this landmark legislation," he stated.

Kharge added, "While you claim in your letter that your government has been conversing with political parties about this, I regret to say that this contradicts the reality, as all Opposition parties have been calling for an All-Party meeting after the upcoming elections conclude on April 29, 2026, to discuss prospective constitutional amendments."

He further accused the government of hastily implementing the Bill for political gain.

"The scheduling of a special session amid ongoing state elections only strengthens our belief that your government is accelerating the Bill's implementation to secure political benefit rather than genuinely empowering women," he articulated.

Reflecting on the history of past legislation, Kharge noted, "I am also disheartened to mention that the government's previous actions on matters of public significance—including demonetization, GST, census, and even issues related to federal structures like Finance Commission recommendations—have not fostered any trust."

"The proposed constitutional amendments will impact both the Centre and the states, making it essential for every party and state, regardless of size, to be included in a democratic discussion," he emphasized.

If the special session aims to "strengthen our democracy" and "move forward together" as suggested in the Prime Minister's letter, Kharge proposed that the Centre should organize an All-Party meeting anytime after April 29, when the current Assembly elections conclude, to address the delimitation issue tied to the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will need the cooperation of opposition parties to achieve the two-thirds majority required for the constitutional amendment's endorsement in Parliament.

The upcoming legislation aims to decouple the implementation of women's reservation from the 2027 Census and instead utilize the 2011 Census, ensuring that the quota is activated before the 2029 general elections.