Mumbai, April 18 (NationPress) The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and national president of NCP, Sunetra Pawar, asserted on Saturday that the opposition's anti-women perspective has been laid bare once more. She claimed that the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, aimed at providing one-third reservation for women, was obstructed in the Lok Sabha deliberately.

In a post shared on X, Pawar stated, “It would not be an exaggeration to declare that yesterday was a disgraceful day for Indian democracy. Those who engage in political games under the guise of women's empowerment have themselves undermined women's rights. The refusal to accept the honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for unity reflects not arrogance, but an injustice to the women of our nation. However, the struggle for women's reservation will persist... Nari Shakti will respond!”

In response, the Maharashtra Congress issued a sharp critique, accusing former chief minister and BJP MP Ashok Chavan of disloyalty to his origins and his father S.B. Chavan’s commitment to the party. A post on X urged Chavan to “uphold his promises” and criticized him for altering his position to align with his new political affiliation in the BJP.

The Congress party reminded Chavan that it was Rajiv Gandhi who was instrumental in initiating women’s reservation in local governance (Panchayati Raj), which was later expanded to 50% in numerous states. They clarified that while they support women’s reservation, they oppose tying it to delimitation based on the 2011 Census. They argued that the 33% quota should be implemented immediately and independently, without the need for redrawing constituency lines.

Chavan stated on Friday, “The constructive initiative encountered obstacles due to the ‘inflexible and unwarranted’ attitudes of opposition parties driven by political malice. This is despite the central government providing solid and objective responses to every concern raised.”

He emphasized that the opposition's conduct indicates a preference for political pride over the well-being of millions of women in the country. He noted that while the opposition may perceive the obstruction of women’s reservation as a win, it is, in reality, a setback for the rights and interests of Nari Shakti.

“Securing a 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas is not merely a political agenda for us; it is a steadfast commitment and a vision. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this vision will undoubtedly be realized, and Indian women will eventually receive their rightful recognition,” he added.

Furthermore, Aaditya Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena-UBT, commented that the Central government’s Bill, which aimed to amend the Constitution for political gains by increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats, would suppress the voices of numerous states and redraw constituencies to secure victories through unjust means, was defeated in Parliament.

“This interference in the Constitution would have been detrimental not only to democracy in India but also to the Constitution itself. However, this attempt was thwarted due to the unity of opposition MPs. In fact, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in Parliament in 2023, with its notification issued on April 16, 2026. There is a pressing need to implement the 33% women’s reservation within the existing seats. If the government genuinely holds this position, it is crucial to effectively implement this reservation in the 543 seats for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and in all future elections across the nation,” Thackeray stated.