New Delhi, April 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged all parties in the Lok Sabha to unanimously pass three bills introduced by the government, paving the way for 33 percent reservation for women. He said that women’s reservation has been stalled for decades. Now is the time to atone for this. He believes that women have contributed to the country’s progress, and we must acknowledge this debt.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday participated in the simultaneous discussion in the Lok Sabha on three bills related to delimitation and the subsequent implementation of women’s reservation. The discussion will continue until tomorrow, and the Home Minister will respond at the end. Among the bills is a Constitution Amendment Bill, which requires a two-thirds majority for the government to pass.
Participating in the discussion, the Prime Minister refuted the opposition’s accusations that the bills were political, while also clarifying that the delimitation process would not discriminate or injure any state. Furthermore, increasing Lok Sabha seats is a timely requirement. The new Parliament building has been constructed with this in mind.
The Prime Minister stated that increasing women’s participation in Parliament and state assemblies will enhance the legislative capacity. This should not be weighed against the political scale. This is a decision in the national interest. He said, “We should not be under the arrogance of thinking we are giving something to the women of the country… No! They have a right. We have withheld it for decades. Today is an opportunity to atone for that sin and be free from it.”
Modi assured that the government’s intentions are clear and there is no need to play with words. He said, “Today, I want to say to this House with great responsibility that whether it is the South, the North, the East, the West, small states, or large states… this decision-making process will not discriminate or do injustice to anyone. There will be no change in the ratio of delimitation that was adopted by the previous government, and the increase will be in the same proportion. If you want a guarantee, I guarantee it; if you want a promise, I promise it… because if the intention is clear, there is no need to play with words.”
The Prime Minister refuted the opposition’s accusations that the government is playing politics in the name of women’s reservation. He said that the government’s motive behind this is not political. We are giving women their rights. In 2023, this same House unanimously adopted the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. Now we should not stop it using technical excuses.
He said, “When we were discussing this in 2023, people were saying, ‘Hurry up.’ It wasn’t possible in 2024 because it wouldn’t have been possible in such a short time. Now, we have time in 2029. If we don’t do it in 2029, we can imagine what the situation will be. The need of the hour is that we shouldn’t delay any further.”
He said, “There are certain crucial moments in a nation’s life, and the mood of society and the leadership at that time capture that moment and make it a nation’s treasure, creating a strong legacy. This is one such moment in India’s parliamentary history.”
The Prime Minister noted that those who oppose women’s reservation have always suffered. This did not happen in the 2024 elections. The reason behind this was that everyone unanimously passed the Women’s Reservation Bill.
He said, “If we all come together, history bears witness that this will not favor any one person’s political interests. It will favor the country’s democracy, the country’s collective decision-making power, and we will all be entitled to that glory. Neither the treasury bench nor Modi will be entitled to it. Therefore, anyone who smells politics in this should look at their own results of the last 30 years. There is no need to politicize it.”
Prime Minister Modi said that women have contributed to the country’s progress, and we must acknowledge this debt. There are more than 650 district panchayats in the country. Nearly 270 women lead them. They have more responsibility than a cabinet minister. Of the approximately 6,700 block panchayats, more than 2,700 are led by women. Today, women serve as heads of urban local bodies in more than 900 cities across the country.