Rijiju calls on Congress to back Women's Reservation Bill
Synopsis
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has called on the Indian National Congress to back the Women's Reservation Bill without conditions, citing what he described as a 'visible change of heart' in Rahul Gandhi — reigniting a decades-old legislative flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
Kiren Rijiju on August 8, 2026 publicly called on Congress to support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally .
He cited what he called a 'visible change of heart' in Rahul Gandhi regarding women's issues.
The Women's Reservation Bill was first introduced in 1996 and passed the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but lapsed without becoming law.
Parliament enacted the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (128th Constitutional Amendment) in September 2023 , reserving 33% of seats for women.
Congress has historically conditioned support on an OBC sub-quota for women — a demand the BJP has resisted.
A pointed political olive branch — or a calculated challenge? Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday, August 8, 2026, read what he called a 'positive message' from the Indian National Congress as a signal of shifting attitudes toward women's political representation, and immediately turned it into a direct ask: back the Women's Reservation Bill without conditions.
Posting on X, Rijiju wrote: 'This seems to be a positive message from the Congress Party. There's a visible change of heart in Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji about the Women. Now, I hope Congress Party will support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally.'
Three decades, one unfinished promise
The bill's journey is a long and bruising one. First tabled in 1996 as the 81st Constitutional Amendment Bill, it stalled repeatedly over the following decade and a half. A version finally cleared the Rajya Sabha in 2010 — a milestone that generated enormous fanfare — but lapsed without Lok Sabha approval. The promise of one-third seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies remained exactly that: a promise. The logjam broke in September 2023, when Parliament enacted the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — the 128th Constitutional Amendment — enshrining 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. The BJP framed it as a landmark act of women's empowerment. Critics, including Congress, had long conditioned their support on an additional sub-quota for Other Backward Class (OBC) women — a demand the ruling side has consistently resisted.Rijiju's read on Rahul Gandhi
Rijiju's post does not specify which Congress statement or action he is responding to — and the research notes that the precise trigger cannot be independently verified. But the political logic is clear enough. By framing Rahul Gandhi's position as a 'change of heart,' the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is doing two things at once: crediting the opposition with a shift while immediately raising the bar, asking Congress to convert sentiment into unconditional legislative support. It is a move that puts the opposition on the back foot. If Congress endorses the framing, it implicitly validates the BJP's ownership of the women's reservation agenda. If it pushes back, it risks looking reluctant on an issue with enormous electoral salience among women voters. The question now is whether Congress responds with a formal position — and whether that position comes with the OBC sub-quota rider still attached.Point of View
' the BJP is trying to strip Congress of its standard escape route: the OBC sub-quota demand. The move fits a broader BJP pattern of positioning the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as its own achievement while daring the opposition to either endorse that narrative or appear obstructionist on women's empowerment. How Congress responds — and whether it drops or reiterates the OBC sub-quota condition — will signal where the party's gender-politics calculus stands heading into the next electoral cycle.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Women's Reservation Bill in India?
The Women's Reservation Bill proposes reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women. Parliament enacted it as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (128th Constitutional Amendment) in September 2023.
Why did Kiren Rijiju ask Congress to support the Women's Reservation Bill?
Rijiju said he saw a 'positive message' from Congress and a 'visible change of heart' in Rahul Gandhi on women's issues, and used that moment to publicly urge the party to back the bill without conditions.
What has been Congress's position on the Women's Reservation Bill?
Congress has historically supported the bill in principle but conditioned its backing on an additional sub-quota for OBC women within the reserved seats — a demand the BJP-led government has not accepted.
When was the Women's Reservation Bill first introduced in Parliament?
The bill was first introduced in 1996 as the 81st Constitutional Amendment Bill. A version passed the Rajya Sabha in 2010 but lapsed before becoming law. It was finally enacted in September 2023.
What is the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam?
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is the 128th Constitutional Amendment, passed by Parliament in September 2023, that reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women.
