Bhopal, April 27 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday turned the spotlight on delimitation and constitutional provisions while defending the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre’s push for women’s reservation, placing the Opposition on the defensive during a charged Assembly debate.

Yadav asserted that the proposed reservation for women cannot be implemented without a Constitutional Amendment and the delimitation process.

He accused the Congress and other parties of maintaining a contradictory stand on the issue.

He asked what exactly they want, stating that when they were in power, they froze delimitation, and now they oppose it again.

The Chief Minister argued that the delay in implementing women’s reservation has significantly limited political representation.

Citing figures, he said that women currently hold only 74 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats and that this number could have risen substantially had the legislation been enacted earlier.

He said that the responsibility for denying women their rightful share lies with Congress.

Extending the argument to Madhya Pradesh, Yadav noted that the number of women Members of Parliament from the state could have increased from six to 14, while Assembly representation could also have expanded significantly with reserved seats for women across categories.

Sharpening his attack, Yadav accused the Congress of historical lapses, including halting census-related exercises and suppressing key reports.

He also linked past constitutional amendments during the Emergency to what he described as attempts to restrict democratic representation.

Positioning the debate as a broader governance issue, Yadav said the Centre under PM Modi has ensured inclusive development across states, regardless of political differences.

He added that increasing women’s participation would challenge entrenched political structures, including dynastic politics.

Calling for consensus, the Chief Minister urged members to rise above partisan considerations.

He said that for decades women have been denied their due and that this is the moment to correct that injustice, warning that continued opposition would reflect a lack of commitment to women’s empowerment.

The debate also witnessed lighter moments but remained largely confrontational, with both sides trading sharp remarks over responsibility for delays in implementing reservation and electoral reforms.

–IANS

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