In a blistering critique, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday branded the opposition’s rejection of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a direct assault on women’s aspirations. The bill, aimed at reserving one-third seats for women in legislative bodies, was thwarted allegedly to prevent Prime Minister Modi’s image from shining brighter.
‘PM Modi offered them the glory, but they chose obstructionism,’ Meghwal told IANS. He decried the opposition’s jubilant antics in the House after the bill’s defeat: ‘Blocking empowerment and then celebrating? It’s deplorable. Nation’s daughters will teach them a lesson.’
The controversy erupted during Parliament’s special session focused on updating the 2023 Women’s Reservation Act with delimitation clauses to expand seats for women. Government sources maintained the move was equitable, addressing concerns from southern states.
Ramdas Athawale amplified the charges, accusing rivals of conspiring against the bill’s passage. ‘This is treachery against women’s interests,’ he thundered. The Lok Sabha vote confirmed the fears, as the measure failed to secure supermajority support.
Beyond the reservation row, Meghwal accused opponents of insulting the military by dismissing Operation Sindoor as trickery. This multi-pronged assault paints a picture of opposition motivated by electoral anxieties rather than national progress.
Analysts see this as a pivotal moment, potentially galvanizing women voters ahead of future polls. The government’s resolve remains firm, promising renewed efforts to enact reforms that have eluded consensus for decades.
