New Delhi [India], August 15 (ANI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address was a "dishonest pitch" for women's reservation, while remembering that the Women's reservation bill, 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' was unanimously passed in September 2023 but it was the Centre's "double faced hypocrisy" which did not let it come into effect in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections itself.
"The PM made a dishonest pitch for women's reservation in his address at the Red Fort today. He should know that the Parliament unanimously passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in September 2023 - but it was the double-faced hypocrisy of the Modi Government that made sure it won't come into effect from the 2024 elections itself. The Adhiniyam was only notified hastily and silently late in the evening on April 16, 2026," Jairam Ramesh wrote on X.
The Congress leader said that the idea for women's reservation was introduced in 1993 itself under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments itself.
"The Prime Minister should remember that women's reservation was introduced in the Constitution by the 73rd and 74th amendments passed in 1993, and that it was the vision and determination of Shri Rajiv Gandhi that made it happen. Congress has been consistent in its stand for the implementation of women's reservation from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections within the current strength of the Lok Sabha," Ramesh wrote in the X post.
The 73rd and 74th amendments relate to local self-governance, creating and recognizing the role of city governments and village panchayats. The amendments also mandated that certain percentage of seats be reserved for sections of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), with third of seats being reserved for women in these local bodies.
In Karnataka, state minister Santosh Lad also highlighted that Congress was the one who gave reservation to women in local bodies, and today the party would be happy to support the current bill if it is decoupled with delimitation.
"Why did they mix the women's reservation bill with the delimitation we don't know. If they have the delimitation bill out of it, we are ready to support it. We (Congress) brought the women's bill, zilla panchayat, municipality, those give women reservation. The current women's reservation bill was passed by us only, it was pending in the Rajya Sabha because we did not have the majority," Santosh Lad told ANI.
Slamming the Prime Minister over the Vande Mataram row, in a separate post the Congress leader Jairam R amesh shared a biography on what led to adopting the first two stanzas of the national song. According to Jairam Ramesh, it was Rabindranath Tagore himself who suggested the song's first two stanzas be adopted.
"Tagore wrote to Nehru on this issue. It was the Gurudev himself - with his own special relationship to Vande Mataram - who suggested that the first two stanzas of the song be adopted. His letter in fact profoundly influenced the Resolution (CWC resolution on Vande Mataram) in its entirety," the senior Congress leader wrote on X.
Condemning the PM, he added in the X post, "The Prime Minister is now accusing the Gurudev of harbouring a 'divisive ideology.' It is a shameful statement from a man whose lies and distortions have no limits. The people of India demand an unconditional apology."
Ramesh's comments follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi who on Saturday urged all political parties to come forward and ensure 33 per cent representation for women in State Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister said women's leadership is essential for shaping the country's policies
.He highlighted the contribution of women representatives in Panchayats, Municipalities and Municipal Corporations and said the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed in Parliament with the aim of strengthening women's representation in politics.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, PM Modi, "My dear fellow citizens, today in Panchayats, Municipalities, and Municipal Corporations, our women public representatives are guiding the nation in very large numbers, solving local challenges, and providing exceptionally capable and empowering leadership. Keeping this in mind, we passed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament. But for one reason or another, in the political arena over the last 40 years, this dream had persistently fallen victim to political games and political battlegrounds."
"Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, standing under the shadow of the Tricolor, I earnestly appeal to and urge all political parties of our nation: Come forward and celebrate the strength and capability of our women. Step forward in honor of our women, and as swiftly as possible, ensure our mothers and sisters receive 33% representation in the State Legislative Assemblies and the Lok Sabha so that they can actively contribute to shaping India's policies," he said.
The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 was passed in both Houses of Parliament, but failed to move ahead with implementation after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill fell in the Lok Sabha on April 17, not being able to receive the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of members present and voting. (ANI)
"PM made dishonest pitch for women's reservation": Jairam Ramesh says Centre's 'double-faced hypocrisy' stalled implementation
