Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 18 : BJP State President PVN Madhav on Saturday slammed the Congress-led INDIA Bloc, and demanded Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's resignation over the rejection of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha, calling it an "insult to women across the country."
Speaking to reporters, Madhav alleged that opposition parties had deliberately blocked a key legislative step towards implementing women's reservation. "The women's reservation bill getting rejected in Lok Sabha is an insult to all the women of this country. The real face of the Congress and the INDI alliance has been exposed. We condemn the mischievous act of the INDI alliance and also want Rahul Gandhi to resign from his post as an opposition leader because he has miserably failed to uphold the hopes and aspirations of the women of this country," he said.
The remarks after the BJP-led government failed to secure the required two-thirds majority to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which was linked to the implementation of women's reservation through a delimitation exercise. In the voting, 298 members supported the bill while 230 opposed it.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed that the bill did not pass as it fell short of the constitutional requirement. The Centre had introduced three interlinked legislations, including the Delimitation Bill, but Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju later said the government would not pursue the remaining bills after the amendment failed.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier accused opposition parties of blocking a historic opportunity to grant 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies. He warned that women voters would hold the opposition accountable in future elections.
However, opposition leaders maintained that they support women's reservation but object to linking it with delimitation and census.
LoP Rahul Gandhi termed the proposal an attempt to alter India's electoral structure, while Congress leaders insisted that their vote was aimed at protecting democratic principles.
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