Early Times Report
New Delhi, Apr 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that no state — big or small, north or south, or east or west — will be discriminated against in the delimitation of constituencies linked with the implementation of women quota law and warned that those who oppose this reform will not be forgiven by the women of the country.
Intervening the debate in Lok Sabha on the three bills introduced for amendment of the women’s quota law and to set up a delimitation commission, Modi also made it clear that the proportion of Lok Sabha seats in any state will not come down as a result of the delimitation exercise.
“There will be no change in that proportion (of Lok Sabha seats) either, and the increase will also be in the same proportion,” he said.
The prime minister said no one should remain under the illusion that they are giving something to the women of this country as reservation in legislatures is their right.
He said if any political party opposes the women quota law, it is quite natural that he (Modi) would be politically benefited. “If you oppose it, it is natural that I will gain political benefit, but if you walk along, no one will gain any political advantage,” he said.
Modi said the ruling dispensation does not want credit for implementation of the women reservation law in 2029 and offered to give credit to the opposition.
“We don’t want credit. If you want me to use the word ‘guarantee’, I use the word ‘guarantee’. If you want me to make a promise, I use the word ‘promise’. Because if the intention is clear, there is no need to play games with words,” he said.
Allaying fear of some states over the delimitation exercise, particularly those from the southern and eastern regions, the prime minister said no state will be discriminated against under the move.
“I want to say from this House today with a great sense of responsibility that whether it is the south, the north, the east, the west, small states or big states, this decision making process will not discriminate against any state or do injustice to anyone,” he said.
Modi said those who had opposed in giving this right to women in the past have not been forgiven by the women of this country, they have faced the consequences.
“Today, I have come to appeal to you that do not weigh this on political scales. This is a decision in the national interest. The women across the country and the world are watching us, will see our decisions. But more than the decision itself, they will judge our intent. If there is any flaw in our intent, the women of this country will never forgive,” he said.
The prime minister said when the Parliament was discussing the women reservation legislation in 2023, people were saying, “hurry up”. “But it couldn’t happen in 2024, because it can’t be done in such a short time. Now in 2029, we have time. If we don’t do it even in 2029, we can imagine what the situation will be like. The demand of the time is that we should not delay any further now,” he said.
Lok Sabha on Thursday took up the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026, for debate and passage.
According to the proposal, the strength of Lok Sabha will be increased to 815, of which 272 seats will be reserved for women — a total of 33 per cent. |
