Govt using women as shield: Dipika Pandey on Constitution Bill defeat

Jharkhand Minister Dipika Pandey Singh slammed PM Modi, accusing him of using women as a political shield after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was defeated in Parliament. The Opposition blocked the bill over its linkage with delimitation.

Opposition Slams PM Modi Over Bill's Defeat

Following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Parliament, Jharkhand Minister Dipika Pandey Singh launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, accusing the central government of using women as a political shield. The Bill, which reportedly aimed at structural constitutional changes, failed to clear the parliamentary hurdle, marking a significant legislative setback for the ruling administration.

Speaking to ANI, Pandey alleged that the Prime Minister's outreach toward women was a calculated move for power rather than genuine empowerment. "The Prime Minister has used women to secure his power. He has consistently used them as a tool for his political gains," Singh stated. She further hailed the unified front of the Opposition for blocking the Bill, characterising the defeat as a necessary check on the government's ambitions. "The opposition has put them [the government] in their right place. This defeat shows that you cannot push through legislation by merely using emotional optics," she added.

Bill Fails in Lok Sabha Vote

The remarks come after the BJP-led government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority to pass the amendment bill. In the Lok Sabha voting, 298 members supported the bill while 230 opposed it. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed that the bill did not pass. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Centre would not proceed with the remaining interlinked legislations. While Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition of blocking women's reservation, opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, maintained that they support the quota but oppose its linkage with delimitation.

'Dangerous Game': Kharge on Delimitation Link

Earlier today, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hailed the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, accusing the BJP of a "dangerous game" by linking women's reservation to delimitation. Addressing an election rally in Velachery, Tamil Nadu, Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the Centre refused to hold an all-party meeting to discuss the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026. He said, "The BJP government tried to play a dangerous game by linking women's reservation with delimitation based on the 2011 census. It means punishing states like Tamil Nadu, which successfully controlled the population. The Opposition stood united, and Congress in Delhi led from the front, and DMK, TMC, SP all stood shoulder to shoulder to defeat the Bill."(ANI)

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