JALANDHAR – In a scathing broadside against the opposition, Union Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar declared that the Congress party and its allies would face a massive electoral backlash for “obstructing” the empowerment of women in India.
Speaking at a high-pressure press conference in Jalandhar on Sunday, Khattar, accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Minister Baby Rani Maurya, accused the opposition of prioritizing political survival over the constitutional rights of the nation’s female population.
A Legacy of Obstruction
Khattar asserted that the struggle for 33 percent reservation has been stalled since the 1970s, alleging that successive Congress-led governments never made a “serious attempt” to see the legislation through.
“Whenever the BJP took the initiative to grant women their rightful 33 percent share in politics, the Congress and its partners invariably erected obstacles,” Khattar stated.
He highlighted that while the BJP successfully pushed for 50 percent reservation at the Panchayat level in several states, the transition to the Lok Sabha has been intentionally derailed by the opposition’s “anti-women” stance. He specifically referenced the 128th Constitutional Amendment, noting that despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the bill has faced unprecedented resistance.
The 2029 Commitment
Despite the current legislative friction, Khattar reaffirmed the government’s resolve. He stated that the Centre remains fully committed to ensuring the Women’s Reservation Bill is fully operational before the 2029 General Elections.
Addressing the political firestorm surrounding the bill, Khattar noted:
-
No Credit Sought: PM Modi has explicitly stated he seeks no personal or political credit for the bill.
-
Democratic Violation: Khattar condemned reported instances of the bill being burned in protest, calling such acts a “violation of democratic propriety.”
-
The “Anger of Half the Population”: He warned that the “collective outrage” of women would be the deciding factor in the upcoming polls.
“An Insult to Half of India”
Adding weight to the attack, Baby Rani Maurya, UP Minister for Women Welfare, characterized the opposition’s behaviour in Parliament as a direct insult to the dignity of Indian women.
“Women can endure many things, but they will not tolerate being insulted,” Maurya said. She pointed out that while the Modi government has provided tangible empowerment through the Ujjwala Scheme and sanitation initiatives, parties rooted in “dynastic politics”—including the TMC, Samajwadi Party, AAP, and DMK—are actively blocking women from entering the halls of power.
The Political Fallout
The press conference signals the BJP’s strategy to turn the Women’s Reservation Bill into a central campaign pillar. By framing the opposition’s procedural concerns as a “betrayal” of women, Khattar and Maurya have set the stage for a high-decibel confrontation in the lead-up to the next electoral cycle, promising that the “consequences” Khattar spoke of will be written at the ballot box.
Leave a Reply