Gandhinagar, April 19 (NationPress) Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel asserted on Sunday that any entity that stands against women has ultimately faced defeat and will continue to do so. This statement came as BJP leaders criticized the Congress and its allies for obstructing the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Amendment Bill' in Parliament.

During a press briefing at the State BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar, Chief Minister Patel emphasized that the proposed legislation is not just a law but a pivotal move towards empowering women through a 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.

“While Congress claims to advocate for women's welfare, their actions reveal a different story as they actively hinder their legal empowerment. Their duplicity has been laid bare,” he remarked.

Union Minister and Maharashtra MP Raksha Khadse highlighted that the Bill, introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, aims to ensure women's dignity and rights but has faced obstruction in the Lok Sabha.

“The 'anti-women' Congress has betrayed the women of this nation and jeopardized the future of our youth by blocking this essential legislation,” she stated, adding that despite a clear provision in the 2023 legislation that it would come into effect only post-delimitation, “Congress has politicized the matter, thereby doing an injustice to women.”

Khadse clarified that the measure is designed for “all women and youth across the nation, not just a single party,” noting that delimitation would have resulted in increased representation in the Lok Sabha.

“Women across the country had anticipated that Congress and its allies would back this Bill,” she remarked.

In response to Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi's criticisms, she stated, “The accusation that the Prime Minister is politicizing women’s issues is unfounded.”

Khadse also referenced various initiatives by the Union government to showcase its commitment to women's empowerment.

“Since 2014, tangible efforts have been made—not merely on paper—such as providing gas connections to over 11 crore households under the Ujjwala Yojana and empowering women through self-help groups,” she noted.

The Union Minister added, “Even in local body elections, numerous states have allocated up to 50 percent reservation for women, yet the historic opportunity to enhance their representation in Parliament and Assemblies has been thwarted.”

The President of the State BJP, Jagdish Vishwakarma, asserted that the events in Parliament represent “not just the failure of a bill but a direct assault on the aspirations of 70 crore mothers, sisters, and daughters.”

He continued, “Encouraging women within their own families while obstructing the progress of everyday women reveals Congress's mentality,” claiming that the party is apprehensive about women from non-political backgrounds entering Parliament to challenge “dynastic politics.”

Vishwakarma further alleged that the opposition has intentionally impeded the bill from obtaining the necessary majority.

“For us, empowering women transcends mere power—it is about equality and rights,” he stated, adding that women nationwide are closely monitoring these events.

The BJP leaders maintained that the legislation is intended to guarantee representation for women across political divides and is tied to the delimitation process to ensure equitable constituencies.