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Bill not passed in Parliament is a loss for women, not govt failure: Kiren Rijiju

From Hindustan Times · (5d ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Union minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the failure to pass the constitutional amendment bill to increase Lok Sabha seats is a loss for women, not a government failure.
  • He blamed the opposition, particularly the Congress party, for denying women their right to participate in decision-making and accused them of celebrating women's defeat.
  • Rijiju defended the government's approach to consultation, stating that individual meetings were held to address concerns and that the opposition's calls for specific consultation methods were unwarranted.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, through Minister Kiren Rijiju, has firmly placed the blame for the stalled constitutional amendment bill squarely on the opposition, particularly the Congress party. This narrative frames the defeat not as a legislative setback for the government, but as a deliberate act of obstructionism by the opposition, which has allegedly deprived Indian women of a crucial opportunity for greater political representation.

The bills not getting passed is not a failure of our government, or our party. We are sad because it is a loss for women who have been denied participation in decision-making. But the opposition will have to face the consequences as well.

— Kiren RijijuExplaining the government's position on the failed constitutional amendment bill.

The government's stance emphasizes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to women's empowerment, suggesting that the opposition's actions are fundamentally anti-women. By highlighting the Congress party's alleged celebration of this 'defeat,' the government aims to mobilize public opinion, especially among women voters, against its political rivals. This is a strategic move to counter any narrative that the government itself failed to secure the bill's passage.

They are celebrating women’s defeat, which is proof of their anti-women mindset.

— Kiren RijijuAccusing the Congress party of being anti-women for opposing the bill.

From the perspective of the ruling party, the government's outreach to opposition leaders, even if conducted through individual meetings rather than large all-party conferences as demanded by some, was a genuine attempt at consultation. Rijiju's defense of this approach suggests that the government believes it acted responsibly and transparently, and that the opposition's refusal to engage constructively is the sole reason for the bill's failure. This framing aims to portray the government as proactive and the opposition as obstructionist, thereby consolidating its political position.

I spoke to the Congress several times. They wrote letters (Kharge had urged the government to hold an all party meeting) but did not attend any meeting. They refuse to come and then claim there was no discussion…

— Kiren RijijuAddressing the Congress party's claims of lack of consultation.
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Originally published by Hindustan Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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