Priyanka Chaturvedi Rebukes Amit Shah on Women’s Quota Delay

In a scathing rebuke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding his explanation for the establishment of a Delimitation Committee amidst calls from the Opposition to expedite the women’s quota bill, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has labeled his statement as “hypocritical.” She pointed out that the BJP had made a promise in its 2014 manifesto to pass a women’s reservation law, which had languished for nine years before clearing the first legislative hurdle in Parliament.

Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed her dissatisfaction, saying, “His (Amit Shah’s) statement was hypocritical as the BJP made an electoral commitment to women 9 years ago, in its manifesto for the 2014 elections, to bring a women’s reservation law.” She also criticized the provision that ties the law’s implementation to a census and delimitation exercise, noting that the census has been delayed since 2021.

Amit Shah, during the Lok Sabha debate on the women’s reservation Bill, announced that the census and delimitation exercises would take place after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, and the women’s quota law would follow suit.

Chaturvedi further criticized the BJP, stating, “The census, which has been delayed since 2021, is not likely to happen this year either. My sense is that the delimitation won’t take place before 2029.” She accused the BJP of using the bill as a political ploy to attract women voters but believed that women would see through this strategy in the 2024 elections.

The women’s reservation Bill, aiming to provide a 33% quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was introduced during the ongoing Special Session of Parliament, following approval from the Union Cabinet. However, Chaturvedi emphasized that the delay in implementation raised questions about the BJP’s true commitment to women’s empowerment.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Statesman