Chandigarh witnessed a dramatic turn in Haryana politics as Congress MLAs staged a boycott of the assembly’s special session, escalating their feud with the BJP-led government. The trigger: a contentious agenda on delimitation and women’s reservation, which the opposition deems beyond the state legislature’s purview.
Under Bhupinder Hooda’s leadership, the Congress party opted for a parallel assembly outside the main house. In a fiery address, the veteran leader slammed the Nayab Saini administration for convening an ‘unconstitutional’ session. ‘The 2023 Women’s Reservation Bill, approved unanimously by both houses of Parliament and the President, remains unimplemented after three years,’ Hooda pointed out, highlighting a 30-month delay in formal notification.
The unanimous decision followed a strategy meeting chaired by Hooda, Haryana’s opposition leader and two-time former CM. MLAs argued that reserving seats for women is a Union subject, accusing the BJP of trivializing constitutional bodies. During the outdoor session, they adopted a resolution pressing for the bill’s immediate rollout.
Notably, the protesting legislators turned down session allowances, signaling unwavering resolve. This move intensifies political polarization in the state, where Congress positions itself as the guardian of constitutional integrity against alleged BJP machinations. As Haryana gears up for future polls, the women’s quota battle could sway voter sentiments significantly.
Background reveals the bill’s passage in September 2023 as a historic step toward gender parity in politics. Yet, bureaucratic hurdles persist, fueling opposition outrage. The parallel session not only spotlighted these delays but also rallied Congress supporters, potentially reshaping the narrative ahead of key electoral battles.
