Chennai, April 19 -- Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday expressed "deep agony" after the Women's Reservation-linked Constitution Amendment Bill failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha and accused the DMK-Congress alliance of depriving women of their rightful political representation.

Addressing mediapersons here, Goyal said, "Today, I want to share with you my deep agony at the DMK-Congress combine for depriving our sisters, daughters, the women of their rightful place and rightful share in the political establishment of India."

He added that the Centre had made sincere efforts to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam through necessary structural reforms. Highlighting the government's proposal, Goyal...