"Deprived women of rightful share": Piyush Goyal accuses DMK-Congress of blocking Women's Reservation Amendment Bill, expresses "deep agony"

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 19 : Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday expressed "deep agony" after the Women's Reservation-linked Constitution Amendment Bill failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha and accused the DMK-Congress alliance of depriving women of their rightful political representation.

Addressing mediapersons here, Goyal said, "Today, I want to share with you my deep agony at the DMK-Congress combine for depriving our sisters, daughters, the women of their rightful place and rightful share in the political establishment of India."

He added that the Centre had made sincere efforts to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam through necessary structural reforms. Highlighting the government's proposal, Goyal said the plan aimed to expand the strength of Parliament to ensure fair reservation without affecting existing constituencies.

"Despite Narendra Modi ji's best efforts to pass Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in 2023, he was trying to operationalise it by bringing in the necessary changes to increase the seats by about 272-273, which should have been reserved for women, so that open category seats 543 continue to remain open... and we also make Parliament more representative of an increased population," he said.

He further alleged that "selfish politics" by opposition parties led to the Bill's failure in the Lok Sabha on April 17. "But due to the selfish politics of DMK and Congress, we could not pass the amendments," Goyal stated.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the required two-thirds majority on Friday. The Bill sought to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 and implement 33 per cent reservation for women, linked to delimitation based on the 2011 Census.

In his address to the nation yesterday, Prime Minister Modi criticised opposition parties for blocking the legislation, stating that they had "crushed" the dreams of women and dealt a "blow to their self-respect." He asserted that women voters would remember the "insult to their pride" and hold those responsible accountable.

PM Modi also described the amendment as a transformative reform aimed at ensuring equal participation of women in governance, while accusing the Congress of historically obstructing key national reforms through a pattern of "delay, diversion, obstruction."

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