Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led central government in the Lok Sabha over the proposed women’s reservation framework, alleging that the legislation is politically motivated and not genuinely aimed at empowering women. Gandhi asserted that while the Congress fully supports women’s reservation, the current set of Bills raises “serious concerns.”
“There should be no doubt that the Congress stands with women’s reservation. The reality is that this is not about women’s Bill… the Bill smells of politics,” she said. She argued that the government was using the proposal as a political strategy rather than a measure for representation, suggesting it could be aimed at securing electoral advantage.
In a lighter moment that drew laughter in the House, Gandhi took a swipe at the ruling party, invoking the ancient strategist Chanakya. “You have all come fully planned. Today, if Chanakya had been alive, he also would have been shocked by your cunningness,” she remarked, prompting reactions from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP MPs.
Continuing her criticism, Gandhi questioned the government’s approach to implementing the quota, asking why the 33 per cent reservation could not be accommodated within the existing strength of the Lok Sabha. “If this Constitution amendment Bill is passed, democracy will be finished in this country,” she said. She also alleged that the Centre’s refusal to conduct a caste census and its reliance on older population data could adversely impact Other Backward Classes (OBCs). “The government wants to take away the rights of OBCs by not conducting the caste census and sticking to 2011 census figures,” she said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier speech in the House, Gandhi accused the ruling party of presenting a selective narrative on the history of women’s political representation. She cited the role of Motilal Nehru and the Congress in advancing women’s rights, noting that the foundation for equal rights dates back to pre-independence resolutions. “My colleagues in the ruling party may not like this, but the historical background is that it was also initiated by a man named Nehru… Motilal Nehru prepared a report in 1928… marking the beginning of women’s equal rights becoming a part of our country’s politics,” she said.
The Wayanad MP also highlighted that reservations for women at the grassroots level were introduced by the Congress government led by her father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. At the same time, she reiterated that the Congress had supported the passage of the women’s reservation law in 2023, maintaining its ideological commitment to the issue. “The Indian National Congress stands by the Women’s Reservation Bill,” she said.
Taking a broader swipe at the government, Priyanka Gandhi alleged that the legislation could weaken democratic structures. “If this Bill is passed, then democracy will be killed in the country. The government is attacking democracy,” she said.
Despite her criticism, she said the Opposition remained open to supporting a revised approach. “We oppose these three Bills. I appeal to the Prime Minister to take a right decision and we will support him,” she added.
The remarks come amid an intense political debate over the Centre’s proposal to expand the Lok Sabha’s strength and undertake delimitation to operationalise the women’s quota, a move that has drawn strong objections from Opposition parties.
Under the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, the Centre has proposed expanding the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 850 seats, including 815 for states and 35 for Union Territories. This expansion is intended to facilitate the implementation of the women’s reservation framework through the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill. However, the proposal has drawn strong resistance from southern states, many of which are governed by Opposition parties, who argue that a population-based delimitation could disproportionately benefit the Hindi heartland, traditionally seen as a stronghold of the ruling BJP.
