Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao has accused the BJP of obstructing the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament by linking it to delimitation, causing its downfall. Despite broad support from various parties, including BRS, the BJP’s strategy prevented the bill’s passage, according to Rao. He criticized the BJP for politicizing the issue unnecessarily, resulting in the denial of women’s rightful representation.
Rao emphasized that the reservations could have been promptly implemented within the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats but were needlessly entangled by the BJP. He further alleged that the BJP’s actions aimed at disadvantaging southern states by connecting women’s reservations with delimitation, disregarding objections from multiple parties. This move, as per Rao, has squandered a significant opportunity for women’s empowerment.
The BRS leader condemned the BJP for what he described as a political spectacle surrounding women’s reservations, accusing the party of exploiting the matter for electoral gains and subsequently betraying women nationwide. Rao urged the BJP to introduce a fresh Women’s Reservation Bill without linking it to delimitation and ensure its enactment in the upcoming elections to demonstrate sincerity.
Telangana Jagruthi president K. Kavitha also criticized the BJP, alleging that the party deceived Indian women by knowingly associating delimitation with the Women’s Reservation Bill, which led to opposition votes against it. She expressed disappointment over the government’s rushed introduction of the bill despite lacking the required support, calling for women to discern the political manipulation and hold the BJP accountable, particularly in West Bengal. Kavitha suggested incorporating an OBC sub-quota in the 2027 Census to address representation gaps across communities.
