ITANAGAR, 19 Apr: The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at opposition Congress and its allies for blocking key constitutional amendment bills to implement the 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The party stated that the bill failed to secure the required two-third majority for passage due to their opposition.
Addressing a press conference at the state BJP office here on Sunday, minister Dasanglu Pul said that by opposing the key bills, including the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, the Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, and DMK “have betrayed half the population of the country and exposed their anti-women mindset.”
She stated that the discussions held in the Parliament on 16 and 17 April gave a historic opportunity to strengthen democratic participation and ensure greater representation of women in policymaking.
“However, the failure of the bill reflects not just a legislative setback but also a moral failure of the opposition in the eyes of millions of women across the nation,” Pul said.
She described the opposition’s act as undemocratic, anti-women, and an attempt to deny women their rightful place in the Parliament and state assemblies.
“Providing women a share in policymaking is not a favour but their natural right,” she said, and added that those who obstructed the passage of the bills would face backlash from women voters in the coming elections.
Stating that union Home Minister Amit Shah during parliamentary debate exposed misinformation spread by the opposition, Pul clarified that delimitation would not harm any state. Instead, it would ensure balanced and proportional representation, while also protecting and increasing representation for southern states, she said.
Pul also criticised attempts by certain opposition parties to make “unconstitutional” demands like religion-based reservation within the quota, and termed it a deliberate tactic to divert attention from the core objective of the women’s empowerment issue.
Pul said that delimitation is a constitutional necessity to uphold the principle of “one person, one vote, one value,” and that any delay in its implementation would directly affect the rollout of women’s reservation.
She added that increased participation of women as lawmakers both at the Centre and the state level would directly benefit the society, especially girl children.
The minister stated that the party remains fully dedicated to women’s empowerment, balanced representation, and strengthening democratic institutions.
“BJP will continue to fight against anti-women forces to ensure that women receive their rightful due in governance and decision-making,” she said, adding that women in the country will respond decisively in the future and hold accountable those who attempted to block their constitutional rights.
Mayor Likha Nari Tadar, state BJP Mahila Morcha president Nabam Yahi Tad, state BJP vice president and Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam convenor Taying Shakuntala were present at the press conference.
