Defeat of Constitutional bill victory for I.N.D.I.A. bloc: Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday hailed the defeat of the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha as a victory for the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.

The 131st Amendment proposed raising the strength of the Lok Sabha from the existing 543 to 850, besides reserving 33 per cent of the seats in the Parliament and state’s legislatures for women.

Although the opposition has voiced its support for the Women’s Reservation Bill, it is opposed to the legislation being linked to the delimitation exercise.

Calling the Women’s Reservation Bill a ‘dream’ of the Congress party, Shivakumar, nevertheless, said that amending the Constitution necessitated taking everyone into confidence.

“It was the Congress that strove for the bill. But the BJP government did not take a decision on the bill at the right time. India is a democratic country where Hitler-style governance has no place,” Shivakumar told reporters.

Queried about the protests staged by the BJP condemning the opposition, Shivakumar said, “They are the ones who brought the bill despite knowing very well that it would be defeated. They are anti-women. Are we not representatives in a democracy? Were they not elected by the people? They should have held discussions. The Women’s Reservation Bill is not their property. It belongs to the nation.”

Shivakumar also took exception to the Centre tabling the bill when elections were under way.