New Delhi, April 17 (NationPress) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagdambika Pal emphasized on Friday that democracy in India is evolving and strengthening, dismissing the claims made by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra regarding recent legislative actions posing a threat to democratic institutions.

His statements followed Priyanka Gandhi’s remarks in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, where she accused the Union government of eroding democracy through institutional pressures and constitutional modifications.

She stated, "The government initiated the weakening of democracy by exerting pressure on vital institutions like the Election Commission, the Judiciary, and the media, but now we are witnessing a blatant assault on democracy."

In a conversation with IANS, Jagdambika Pal responded, "The Congress party frequently makes such allegations because it has lost its political influence. In reality, democracy in India is gaining strength. It is widely acknowledged that few democracies are as resilient as ours."

He also referenced earlier initiatives concerning women's representation, recalling that in 1996, a Joint Parliamentary Committee led by Geeta Mukherjee had made significant recommendations on this matter.

Pal noted that mechanisms like the Standing Committee have been instrumental in fortifying democratic institutions. "The government has embraced committee reports and acted on them. Yet, despite being in power for several years, the Congress party failed to implement these recommendations," he remarked.

Highlighting the recent proceedings in Parliament, Pal described Thursday as a “historic day”.

He stated, "The discussion lasted for 14 hours and 22 minutes, concluding at 1:21 a.m. A total of 81 speakers contributed, including 31 women Parliamentarians. This sends a potent message to the world regarding the increasing involvement of women in India's governance."

He stressed that this advancement not only signifies women’s empowerment but also their growing influence in shaping the country’s policies and decision-making.

Following an extensive debate on three Bills proposing 33 percent reservation for women in both Parliament and state Assemblies, the legislation is poised for a vote.

Over 30 hours of discussions revealed intense exchanges between the ruling NDA and the Opposition concerning the Centre's decision to associate the Women's Reservation Bill with the Delimitation process.

Before the vote, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a final plea to the Opposition for their support of the legislation, as the NDA does not have enough numbers to pass a constitutional amendment bill without broader consensus.

On Friday, Prime Minister Modi urged the Opposition to back the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' during the ongoing parliamentary debate. "Currently, a discussion is underway in Parliament on amending the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. The debate persisted until 1 a.m. last night as well," PM Modi shared in a post on X.

He highlighted that the Union government has offered logical explanations to counter the "misconceptions" that were circulated. "All concerns have been addressed. The missing information has also been provided to every member. Any issues that might have raised doubts in anyone's mind have also been clarified," the Prime Minister stated.