‘Opposition Made A Mistake, Will Face Consequences’: PM Modi On Women’s Quota Bill Failing Parliament Test

New Delhi: The opposition has committed a mistake by not supporting the Women’s Reservation Bill and will face consequences, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told his cabinet. His criticism comes a day after the crucial legislation failed the parliament test amid opposition backlash over the government’s approach.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill aimed to reserve 33% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. But it failed to secure a two-thirds majority to pass the Lok Sabha. The Bill received only 298 votes in its favour, while 230 MPs opposed it, after a heated debate that began on Thursday and went past midnight into Friday.

Opposition must face the consequences and answer the women, sources have said, quoting PM Modi during a cabinet meeting. “They have let down the women of the country. This message must be taken to every single person, to every single village,” the prime minister further said, according to sources.

Opposition parties had earlier said they supported women’s reservation in parliament but found the government’s approach to be politically motivated. There were also opposition concerns that once delimitation occurs, the southern states might see a drop in their representation in parliament. However, the PM had sought to allay such concerns while speaking in parliament during the three-day session that ended today.

He had given a personal guarantee that no injustice would be done to any southern state once the seats in Lok Sabha go up to 816 from 543. “Let all of us not miss this important opportunity to give reservations to women. I have come to appeal to you – do not see this from a political lens, this is in national interest,” PM Modi said.

The southern states’ current representation would be preserved or even increase slightly, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also assured parliament. The two leaders also accused the Congress and other opposition parties of manufacturing issues to oppose the Bill and deprive women of reservations.

Leading the Opposition charge, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that the government was using the issue of women’s reservation as a smokescreen in an attempt to redraw the country’s electoral map in its favour. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a senior Congress MP, today dubbed the Bill’s defeat as a victory of opposition unity.

Slamming the opposition, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Congress and its allies will face the anger of women across the country for blocking the Bill. Speaking to reporters in parliament complex, he said it is a “black stain on the Congress and its allies – one that they will never be able to erase.” “This Bill was about giving historic representation to women. What objection could there have been?” he told reporters.