PM Modi appeals for women’s reservation; Congress calls it dishonest

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used his Independence Day address on Saturday to urge all political parties to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, calling it the need of the hour. He said the issue had been trapped in politics for 40 years and appealed to parties to set aside differences to honour women's power. The Times of India reported that the government's intent is now clear, with the monsoon session not yet prorogued, raising the possibility of Parliament being summoned as early as next month to revive the bill.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh called the PM's pitch dishonest, accusing the BJP of double-faced hypocrisy. The Hindu quotes him saying the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was unanimously passed in September 2023 but the Modi government ensured it would not come into effect from the 2024 elections. Ramesh said Congress has been consistent in demanding implementation from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections within the current strength of 543 seats. He also recalled that women's reservation was first introduced through the 73rd and 74th amendments in 1993, driven by Rajiv Gandhi.