A social media exchange has erupted between Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju over the women’s reservation law and the proposed delimitation exercise.
Rahul, in a video shared on Instagram, spoke about the need to bring women back into public conversations and ensure they are free to pursue what they want. Responding, Rijiju described it as a positive message from the Congress leader and said he hoped the party would support the women’s reservation bill without conditions.
Rahul hit back, saying the Women’s Reservation Bill had already been passed unanimously in 2023 with Congress support. He questioned why the law had not been implemented even after three years and asked why it was being “unnecessarily” linked to delimitation.
Rijiju, in his clarification, said the caste-based survey and census process would take significant time, which could push implementation of women’s reservation up to the 2034 Lok Sabha election. He added that if the government were to implement it from the 2029 election, delimitation would need to be carried out soon based on the 2011 census.
