Govt calls Congress anti-women for defeat of women’s quota bill in LS, vows to continue fight

NEW DELHI, Apr 18:  Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday termed the Congress “anti-women” for “foiling” the efforts to pass the women’s reservation bill in Lok Sabha, and said the government’s attempts to give women their rightful place in decision-making will continue.

Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the Budget session, the parliamentary affairs minister also said that while the government and the ruling alliance were sad that the women’s reservation bill did not get the Lok Sabha’s approval, they didn’t consider it a failure.

He said the Congress was “celebrating” after “depriving” women of their rights, for which the women of the country will teach them a good lesson.

“It has been established that Congress is anti-women. It will have to face the wrath of the women of the country. The opposition considers it a victory after depriving women of their rights. But the women of the country will teach them a good lesson,” Rijiju said.

The minister also said that the “anti-women mentality” of the Congress has been exposed, which was a “black spot” for the party.

“We are sad, but we don’t consider it a failure of the party and the government. They have hurt the women of the country. We wanted to give honour to women, empower them… We will continue to do so,” he said.

Rijiju also said the government and the ruling alliance tried their best to get the bill passed, but could not do so.

“We can’t force the opposition physically to vote in favour of a bill. The votes were cast democratically,” he said.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday night after the opposition parties voted against it.

Under the bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to up to 816 from the current 543 to “operationalise” the women’s reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.

Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.

A two-thirds majority was required for the passage of the crucial bill, but the BJP-led ruling alliance could not muster the numbers.

During polling, 298 members voted in support of the bill, while 230 MPs voted against it.

Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority needed to pass a Constitution amendment bill.

Rijiju said during the Budget session, 12 bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha, and one in the Rajya Sabha.

While the Lok Sabha passed nine bills, nine bills were passed/returned by the Rajya Sabha, and one was withdrawn in the Lok Sabha, he said.

“The productivity of the Lok Sabha was approximately 93 per cent, and that of the Rajya Sabha about 110 per cent,” the minister said.

The first part of the Budget session yielded 13 sittings each of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

In the second part, 15 sittings were held in both Houses.

In the third part, from April 16-18, there were three sittings each of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, taking the total number of sittings during the session to 31 spread over 81 days. (PTI)