BJP steps up attack on Rahul Gandhi over women’s quota, accusing Congress of blocking early implementation

NEW DELHI: BJP on Sunday sought to play back to Rahul Gandhi his pitch for women’s empowerment, by questioning his strident opposition to govt’s push for an early implementation of quota for them in Lok Sabha and assemblies.“He does not want to give rights to women. His words don’t match his actions,” Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said.BJP’s framing its attack on Rahul around the women’s quota coupled with the fact that monsoon session is yet to be prorogued gave another indication of the possibility of govt summoning the two Houses at short notice to take up its Constitution amendment bill for implementation of quota from 2029 with a nearly 50% rise in Lok Sabha seats.“What explains the abnormal delay now? Is the Union home minister still in search of his super-tainted 2/3rd majority to get the constitutional amendment bill on delimitation passed in a special session,” Congress’s Jairam Ramesh asked.Congress, too, was mindful of the possibility of a short upcoming session and claimed that BJP is still searching for “super tainted” majority in Lok Sabha, in what was a swipe at govt’s alleged attempts to split opposition parties to reach the two-thirds majority in the House needed for the bill’s passage.Ramesh said the gap between Parliament’s adjournment and its prorogation is generally two to four days. But the monsoon session, which ended on Aug 13, has not been prorogued yet.When a session is prorogued, govt has to go through the protocol for calling a new session that conventionally requires a gap of 15 to 20 days.

Stepping up BJP’s attack on Rahul Gandhi, Fadnavis said he spoke about women’s empowerment from a public platform but has opposed the most revolutionary step to give women their due.BJP’s Smriti Irani said Rahul should positively respond to PM Modi’s appeal to political parties to support the implementation of women’s quota. On the Vande Mataram row, she said Congress should allow rendition of the song’s full version.While speculation has swirled over the revival of the bill to amend women’s quota law, which was defeated in April, govt has officially remained non-committal over any such move except acknowledging that it had sought Rahul’s view. The LoP in Lok Sabha reiterated his stand against it. Congress and its allies have said Lok Sabha’s strength should be frozen at its existing number and the quota should be executed within it.