Hyderabad: Women’s Reservation Bill became the centre of a political clash as Congress leaders rejected BJP claims and alleged a deliberate delay in its implementation.
Hyderabad DCC President Syed Khalid Saifullah said the BJP was spreading false propaganda against the Congress. He asserted that the party had consistently supported women’s empowerment and played a key role in passing the Bill in September 2023.
During a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, he said the BJP linked the Bill’s rollout to Census and delimitation. Therefore, he alleged that the Centre delayed its implementation despite having the opportunity before the 2024 general elections. He also claimed that projecting delimitation as a women’s reservation measure was misleading.
Moreover, Saifullah raised concerns over delimitation and its impact on southern states. He said Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala could lose political representation. In contrast, he added that northern states might gain an advantage due to population differences.
Women’s Reservation Bill delay and delimitation concerns raised
Saifullah reiterated that the Congress has always backed 33 per cent reservation for women. He said the issue is linked to equality, justice and empowerment rather than politics.
Highlighting the party’s record, he pointed to leaders such as Indira Gandhi and Pratibha Patil. He also mentioned women who served as Congress presidents, including Annie Besant, Sarojini Naidu and Nellie Sengupta. He questioned the BJP to name a comparable example.
In addition, he said Congress introduced key reforms through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. These measures ensured reservation for women in local bodies. He also referred to laws on maternity benefits, domestic violence and workplace safety.
However, Congress leaders criticised the BJP’s record on crimes against women. They alleged that justice was not ensured in several cases. Therefore, they urged the party to focus on governance instead of criticism.
Finally, the leaders demanded immediate implementation of the Bill without linking it to delimitation. They said the Congress would continue to oppose any move that weakens fair political representation.
