New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday launched a broadside against the Congress and its allies for defeating the women’s reservation bill, expressing remorse over the parties ‘celebrating’ women’s loss as a victory of democracy.

Addressing a press conference at the Delhi BJP office, CM Gupta said, “Is it possible for democracy to win with the loss of women? For decades, they have used women as instruments for garnering votes, but when the time came to give them their due, they stepped back.”

Endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s view that the Congress is an anti-reform party, Gupta said, “The Congress has always opposed change. They raised questions on ‘Operation Sindoor’, they opposed digital payments and GST, CAA, Article 370 and one nation, one poll and others.”

She said for over three decades, the women’s quota bill has been blocked – either torn or not passed in Parliament.

The Chief Minister said the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ amendment bill was brought by the government with the hope that the Opposition would back it the way it did in 2023.

“But the Opposition exposed their anti-women face by raising objections. They raised technical issues like north-south disparities, implementing the quota at the current strength of Lok Sabha or quota within quota,” she said.

She said the Opposition parties backed the linking of women’s quota with delimitation in 2023, but changed their stance and opposed the process now.

“The amendment bill was the best possible opportunity to give women a reservation without denying the male politicians their seats in the Lok Sabha,” she said.

She also accused the Congress of appeasement and hit out at the party for opposing triple talaq and even challenging the Shah Bano case to reverse the Muslim women-friendly court verdict on their maintenance.

Chief Minister Gupta said the Opposition parties are afraid that if women’s reservation is implemented, then women from common families will challenge their women leaders, who have been occupying certain dynastic seats of these parties.

–IANS

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