In a fiery address from New Delhi on Sunday, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate accused the BJP-led government of being inherently opposed to women’s empowerment. She demanded immediate implementation of 33% reservation for women in the existing Lok Sabha structure, without waiting for delimitation.
Engaging with reporters, Shrinate mocked PM Modi’s obsession with Congress in his speeches. ‘He dropped our name 58 times in 29 minutes – a sign of desperation. Congress supports 181 reserved seats right now from 543. Why the delay and conditions?’
Delving into history, she criticized the government’s 2023 Women’s Reservation Bill for linking it to delimitation, a move she called a ploy to redraw boundaries unfairly. ‘With brute majorities before, they could have acted. Their intention was never pure; it was to force delimitation on an unwilling nation, and we stopped it.’
Shrinate highlighted Congress’s contributions to key reforms that the BJP now touts as their own: from food security to digital identity systems. ‘We deported 88,000 illegal immigrants; they’ve managed only 5,000. And the foundation of women’s quotas in local bodies? That’s Rajiv Gandhi’s vision, benefiting millions today.’
‘PM Modi questions our stance on reforms – but we’re against undemocratic tools like NPR that threaten voting rights,’ she added. Wrapping up, Shrinate vowed that Congress would thwart any divisive tactics, ensuring true democratic progress for women and the nation.
