Women’s Reservation Bill defeat a ‘victory for democracy’: D. K. Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar criticised the Centre over the Women’s Reservation Bill, alleging lack of consultation and poor timing. He claimed the Bill’s defeat was a democratic victory, warning delimitation could reduce South India’s representation

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday criticised the BJP-led Centre over the timing and handling of the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, saying the opposition was not taken into confidence.

He also called for wider consultation in a democratic framework. The deputy CM said the Congress has consistently supported women’s reservation, but objected to the manner in which the Bill was brought forward, alleging that it was introduced without adequate discussion with opposition parties.

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“This is democracy; this is not a Hitler-style rule. They cannot bring it in the middle of elections and try to alter the entire constituencies,” Shivakumar told reporters here. The Deputy Chief Minister maintained that the move should have been discussed across party lines. “They have to take everyone into confidence, but they have not done that. That is why the opposition parties have done a very good job. So, it is a victory of the INDIA alliance,” Shivakumar, who is Congress Karnataka unit president, said.

He was speaking about the setback to the BJP-led Central government, where a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday, with the ruling dispensation asserting that the struggle to give the rights to women will continue.

While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority. According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 from the current 543 to “operationalise” the women’s reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.

Seats were also to be increased in state and Union territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women. Responding to BJP’s charge that the Congress is anti-women, he said, “This is not anyone’s personal property-women are the nation’s asset. We had passed this in the Rajya Sabha and Congress has already given 50 per cent reservation to women in local bodies. Even today, we support it.” Alleging that the proposed changes could impact regional representation, Shivakumar said, “Without consulting us, they are trying to redraw constituencies, giving more weight to North India and reducing representation in South India. No one can tolerate this.” He added that leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and South Indian Chief Ministers — M K Stalin, A Revanth Reddy and Siddaramaiah– have opposed the move, terming the defeat of the bills a “major victory for democracy”.

The Congress Karnataka chief asserted that the Congress and the INDIA bloc stand firmly in support of women’s rights.