New Delhi [India], April 18 : Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday strongly criticised the Opposition a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, alleging that they "disrespected" women's empowerment.
Speaking to ANI, reacting to the development, Meghwal said, "They (the opposition) did not want to respect women's power... Their intentions were not pure. For PM Modi ji to get the credit, as their thoughts were 'clouded with suspicion'...They therefore committed a sin..The public is not going to forgive them".
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, widely seen as a step towards strengthening women's participation in governance, failed to garner the required support in the Lower House, triggering sharp reactions across the political spectrum.
The ruling party has blamed the Opposition for blocking the bill, while Opposition leaders have countered the allegations, leading to a fresh political face-off over the issue.
The remarks come a day 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.