Congress Claims U-Turn on Women's Reservation Law: A Cover-Up for Modi's Failures?

On Friday, the Congress party accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration of taking a 'U-turn' on the women's reservation law to obscure its alleged governance failures and foreign policy mishaps. Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary, demanded an apology from PM Modi, arguing he neglected the Congress's call for immediate implementation ahead of the 2024 elections, making it contingent on the long-delayed census and delimitation exercises. Ramesh's comments came as Modi portrayed himself as a proponent of the reservation measure, despite its deferment.

Ramesh characterized the government's shift as an attempt to regain favor ahead of expected electoral losses, citing discontinuity in census completion timelines as a failing strategy. The Congress leader also highlighted Modi’s inconsistent messaging, accusing him of using strategic equivocation with the hope of swaying female voters in states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. According to Ramesh, these maneuvers expose the government's hesitation to collaborate with the opposition and lack of strategic foresight.

Despite criticism, Modi maintains the proposed amendments to the Women Reservation Act embody the ambitions of millions of Indian women. The legislation, set for discussion in an upcoming parliamentary session, aims to entrench women's place in governance by the 2029 elections, despite current provisions suggesting a 2034 enactment following census-based constituency redrawing. Modi frames this initiative as pivotal to deepening democratic principles and promoting equality across the nation.