'Political tool for 2029 Lok Sabha elections': Opposition slams Modi govt over women's quota, delimitation

New Delhi: Opposition on Thursday attacked the Modi government over the three Bills for delimitation and early implementation of 33% quota, calling it an "open attack" on Indian democracy, an attempt in "disguise" to alter electoral process and a "political tool" for 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Participating in the debate, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed the government has begun "finishing off" democracy by putting pressure on institutions like the Election Commission (EC) but an "open attack" has now been launched on democracy with the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.

Questioning the intent of the ruling BJP, she asked can't the government give 33% to women on the existing 543 seats in Lok Sabha instead of increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to up to 850 by a Delimitation Commission with Census 2011 as the base.

"This seems fine on the surface but the real meaning comes to the fore when one carefully reads it. It smells of politics...The government began finishing off democracy by putting pressure on institutions, such as the Election Commission, the judiciary, the media etc., but now, an open attack on democracy is being launched," Priyanka said.

This bill has another dangerous omission, as the expansion of Parliament by 50% is proposed, but nothing is written about any concrete process for it, she said.

Demanding the withdrawal of the Bills, senior Congress MP KC Venugopal alleged that delimitation is being "used as a political tool ahead of 2029 elections" while asking why no all-party meeting has been convened despite repeated requests.

"In the name of women’s reservation, you are trying to sabotage democracy...You are trying to diminish the status of the states for political ends...Please withdraw the bill. Call an all-party meeting. We will give you suggestions," he said.

Venugopal said the government would have implemented women’s quota in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections “if it was really sincere” as demanded by the Congress. He said, “Do it now. The entire opposition is giving you the blank cheque. Give reservation to women as per 2023 bill against the existing strength of the Parliament”, he said.

Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP government was turning 'naari' (women) into a "naara" (slogan) for political benefits, even as he questioned the government over its commitment to OBC women.

The BJP and its allies have governments in 21 states and union territories, but they have only one woman chief minister, he said.

Trinamool Congress Deputy Leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said the bills were a "disguise" to alter the electoral process and harm democracy in the country while expressing apprehension that the proposed Delimitation Commission will be another "authoritarian" institution "just like the Election Commission".

She alleged that the government has brought the Bills with an eye on ongoing assembly elections for political benefits and said, "why did the government not bring these bills earlier? Why is the hurry now when the assembly elections are taking place."