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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday strongly criticised the Opposition parties, calling the falling of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha an "renunciation of the ideals of social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule."
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, CM Fadnavis alleged an "anti-women" mindset among the Opposition parties. He said, "April 17 could have been a watershed movement in the country's history. On the very day the Women's Reservation Bill was scheduled to be approved, the Congress, the DMK, the Samajwadi Party, the Nationalist Congress (Sharad Chandra Pawar), and the Shiv Sena (UBT) showcased their anti-women mindset and did not allow the legislation to gain a two-thirds majority." "Betraying 70 crore women, the opposition committed the foeticide of the Bill. They celebrated it and have renounced the ideals of social reformer Jyotiba Phule. The decision to complete the process based on the 2011 census was made to ensure speedy justice for women. If the NDA had a two-thirds majority, the bill could have been passed easily, leaving no opposition party with the opportunity to oppose it," he added. The Lok Sabha took up the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill together for passing. In the division that took place on the Constitution Amendment Bill following the debate on the three Bills, 298 members voted in favour and 230 against. With the Constitution Amendment Bill defeated, the government later said it did not want to pursue the two other linked Bills. The Bills aimed to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816, with 33 per cent reservation for women. The delimitation was to be carried out based on the 2011 census. Earlier today, women workers and leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) took out a 'Jan-Aakrosh Mahila Padyatra' in Patna to protest against the failure of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. (ANI)
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