Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 24 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday accused senior Congress leader P Chidambaram of exercising "selective memory" regarding the Women's Reservation Bill's parliamentary history and implementation details.
Fadnavis stated that Congress supported the 106th Constitutional Amendment in 2023 knowing that implementation was tied to delimitation, which would take place based on the new census data following the COVID-19 pandemic delays.
"Have already responded to Mr. Chidambaram's 'selective memory. Congress had voted for and supported the bill in 20. Two specific points were made concerning the Women's Reservation Bill: delimitation was approved within it, and it was acknowledged that the new census would be the basis for that delimitation. Therefore, delimitation is not a new concept; he had already agreed with it. However, when it became apparent that the census would be delayed due to Covid--and that waiting for the census meant women would not receive reservation by 2029--Modi ji's government proposed a simple solution: recognising the previous census data so that implementation could take place by 2029," he said.
To ensure implementation before 2029, the government proposed recognising previous census data. Fadnavis alleged that Congress and Rahul Gandhi voted against and defeated this measure. The Chief Minister claimed that Congress only supported the initial amendment in 2023 because the NDA possessed the necessary two-thirds majority, but revealed their "anti-women stance" when actual implementation before 2029 was brought up.
"They had no intention of actually granting reservation to women; they voted against it and defeated the measure. But today, when the opportunity has arisen to actually grant reservation to women under that same amendment--and realising the NDA possesses the necessary two-thirds majority--they have revealed their anti-women stance and opposed it. The fact remains that you are opposed to women's reservation. You do not want women to get a reservation in 2029," he said.
Fadnavis reiterated the government's commitment, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains determined to ensure that women receive their rightful 33% reservation by 2029.
"But I am confident that my leader, Narendra Modi ji--come what may--will ensure that women get reservation by 2029," he added.
This comes after Chidambaram said that the Chief Minister's remarks were the result of "cognitive fatigue" over the Women's Reservation Bill and statements made by Fadnavis regarding the opposition's stance on women's empowerment.
Posting on X, former Union Minister Chidambaram quoted statements attributed to Fadnavis, "Rahul Gandhi makes big statements about women's empowerment on stage. But when it comes to passing the Women's Reservation Bill, he and his party staunchly opposed it."
Rebutting the claim, Chidambaram noted, "I am sure the statement was due to cognitive fatigue. Because the Constitution (106th Amendment) Bill providing for 33% reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and the State legislative assemblies was passed in Parliament in 2023. The Congress wholeheartedly supported the Bill in both Houses of Parliament."
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 16 to expand the Lok Sabha's strength to 850 seats and expedite the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill passed in 2023. However, the bill was not passed as it failed to secure the constitutionally required special two-thirds majority of members present and voting in Parliament. (ANI)
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis hits back at P Chidambaram's "selective memory" on Women's Reservation Bill
