Chandigarh, April 19 -- Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday accused Opposition parties of obstructing the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' in Parliament, alleging their actions hindered women's rights and reflected an "anti-women mindset." He also claimed that the Congress had historically limited itself to symbolic gestures on women's reservation without concrete action.
Speaking at a press conference in Rohtak, Saini said the Opposition resisted the Bill on April 16 and 17, calling it "undemocratic" and a setback for half of India's population. He named parties such as the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, accusing them of putting politics above women's empowerment. West Delhi MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat and BJP state president Mohan Lal Kaushik were also present.
Saini said the Centre introduced three Bills in the Lok Sabha on April 16 - the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill - to fast-track 33 per cent reservation for women. He noted that while the original provision linked implementation to the Census and delimitation, the government chose to delink it to ensure the benefit could be extended by the 2029 general elections.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saini termed the move a "bold decision" to ensure women's rightful participation in governance. He also accused the Opposition of spreading misinformation on delimitation despite clarifications by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that no state's representation would be reduced.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.