New Delhi [India], August 8 : Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit back at Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju's challenge for Congress' "unconditional support to Women's Reservation Bill," questioning the Centre for linking the implementation of the legislation to the delimitation exercise in the Lok Sabha.
Reiterating Congress' stance, Rahul Gandhi demanded the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 "without any conditions."
"Mr Rijiju, who would know better than you, as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs--that the Women's Reservation Bill 2023 has already been passed unanimously, with the full support of the Congress. The question is, why has it still not been implemented even after three years, and why do you now want to unnecessarily link it to delimitation? Implement the 2023 law. Without any conditions," Gandhi posted on X.
Earlier today, Kiren Rijiju had challenged the Congress to support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally after Rahul Gandhi's call for freedom of expression for women.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in his video had said that the country's politics should be about "making people understand that our country is stunted and incomplete without the expression of women." Rijiju termed it a positive message from Congress.
"This seems to be a positive message from the Congress Party. There's a visible change of heart in Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji about the Women. Now, I hope the Congress Party will support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally," the Union Minister posted on X.
While the Congress and the opposition parties have expressed support for the women's reservation bill, they opposed the delimitation exercise, seeking to increase the number of seats in the Lower House of Parliament. The Opposition has demanded delinking of women's reservation from the delimitation exercise.
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 was passed in both Houses of Parliament, but failed to move ahead with implementation after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill fell in the Lok Sabha on April 17, not being able to receive the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of members present and voting.
The Bill proposed the implementation of the 33 per cent women's reservation in legislatures and delimitation in the Lok Sabha.