Lucknow, April 16 (NationPress) Following a debate sparked by Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav's suggestion for separate reservations for Muslim women after the enactment of the Women's Reservation Bill, Chief of the Uttar Pradesh Women's Commission, Babita Singh Chauhan, strongly asserted that women cannot be confined to any specific caste or religion. Instead, they should be recognized as making up 50 percent of the population.

During discussions in the Lok Sabha regarding the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill 2026, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a jab at Yadav, stating that the SP could allocate all its tickets to Muslim women.

In response to Yadav's comments, Babita Singh Chauhan questioned, "Why should reservations be exclusive to Muslim women?"

She continued, "Where do Hindu and Muslim fit into this? We’ve made it clear that women transcend religion and caste."

Chauhan elaborated, "When we address women, we cannot limit them to any caste or religion. They represent half of our nation's population and rightfully demand equal representation alongside men."

Supporting the statement made by Home Minister Shah, Chauhan remarked, "If he (Akhilesh Yadav) wishes, he can indeed nominate Muslim women for party tickets."

She provided an example, stating, "If a woman candidate from the BJP is contesting in a given constituency, the Samajwadi Party could likewise field a woman there. With reserved seats, it won’t be a male candidate, correct? It is quite feasible for him (Akhilesh Yadav) to nominate a Muslim woman candidate. That would be commendable."

Chauhan pointed out that both Hindu and Muslim women are closely observing the discussions surrounding the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament.

"Had this Bill not been proposed, would Muslim women have received this advantage? When Hindu women were denied (reservations), how could Muslim women have benefited?" she questioned.

Conveying her appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative for women's reservations, Chauhan stated, "PM Modi approached this with no regard for whether it would aid Hindu or Muslim women. He simply asserted that this reservation is for women, irrespective of their caste or religion, and affirmed their right to engage in the mainstream."

"Women deserve a role in decision-making. This is PM Modi's vision, and we hold that in high regard," asserted the Chief of the Uttar Pradesh Women's Commission.