BJP used women as shield for delimitation, says DMK's Kanimozhi

DMK MP Kanimozhi slammed the BJP, saying it used women as a shield for unfair delimitation after a bill linked to it was defeated in the Lok Sabha. She said opposition parties united to defeat the bill, calling it good news for the nation.

DMK MP Kanimozhi on Saturday slammed the BJP, saying that the party used women as a shield and tried to introduce the bill and do the exercise. Her remarks come as the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The Bill failed to achieve a 2/3 majority during voting in the House.

"The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha...Our CM was continuously opposing this unfair delimitation and wrote to all Chief Ministers...The BJP used women as a shield and tried to introduce the bill and do the exercise. All opposition parties stand united and defeated the bill, which is good news for the nation...AIADMK supported the bill and they have shown their stand to the public...," DMK MP told reporters.

Kanimozhi accused BJP of doing injustice to women and said, "It is the BJP which has done injustice (to women) since within the current numbers of 543, reservation for women can be brought and it should be brought, which is DMK's stand. They don't want to do it and they say we will only increase the numbers and give women reservations, then you (BJP) are insulting women. Why can't you give a reservation to the women in the current numbers? DMK wants 33 per cent women's reservation in the current numbers itself..."

Expressing happiness, she said, "We are very happy, justice has been done with the southern states, especially Tamil Nadu."

Opposition Leaders Echo Concerns

The government brought the Women's Reservation Bill in 2023. All opposition parties supported it, and it was passed in September 2023... During its passage, we categorically requested the government to implement women's reservation in the 2024 elections, without linking it to delimitation and census. Even today, the government can implement it--nobody is stopping them. The bill is alive; there is no problem with it. But the government is not genuine; they are unwilling to implement it. Instead, they want to use the Women's Reservation Bill as a shield to weaken South Indian states and reduce their representation..." Congress MP Jothimani, speaking to ANI, said, "The government brought the Women's Reservation Bill in 2023. All opposition parties supported it, and it was passed in September 2023... During its passage, we categorically requested the government to implement women's reservation in the 2024 elections, without linking it to delimitation and census. Even today, the government can implement it--nobody is stopping them. The bill is alive; there is no problem with it. But the government is not genuine; they are unwilling to implement it. Instead, they want to use the Women's Reservation Bill as a shield to weaken South Indian states and reduce their representation..."

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel accused BJP of harming the smaller states by bringing the Women's Reservation Bill. "These people wanted to bring about delimitation under the guise of women's reservation. The women's reservation bill was passed unanimously in 2023. If it has to be implemented, then there is no problem in implementing it on 543 seats. Who stopped them?... They wanted to bring about delimitation, which would have harmed smaller states. That is why the INDIA alliance opposed it... What was the hurry? Was it brought for the elections? The prices of petrol, diesel and gas are rising; it was brought to divert people's attention from that," Baghel said.

Meanwhile, DMK Spokesperson T K S Elangovan said, "Delimitation without a new census was defeated in the Lok Sabha. The opposition is pressing more for delimitation than for women's quota, even though the women's reservation bill has already been introduced twice, and they opposed it earlier... With so many MPs, it is unclear how anyone will get time to speak. They seem more interested in increasing numbers through delimitation than in supporting women's reservation."

Bill Defeated in Lok Sabha

The Constitution Amendment Bill aimed at expediting the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act from the 2029 general elections was defeated in Lok Sabha on Friday, with the opposition parties voting against it, and the government decided not to go ahead with the Delimitation Bill. It also decided against going ahead with the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)