Opposition hails Constitution amendment bill's defeat in LS

Opposition parties on Friday said they unitedly defeated the Modi government's attempt to change India's political and electoral structure in the garb of women reservation bill. They said the failure of the Constitution amendment bill to secure a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha was a clear political setback for the Modi government. The Congress termed the bill a "nefarious attempt" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to link their "dangerous delimitation proposals" to women's reservation.
Congress president Malikarjun Kharge on X said, “Modi-Shah tried to carry out delimitation by using half of the country’s population as a shield and made a nefarious attempt to harm this country’s democracy, Constitution and federalism.” He added, “Their cunning ploy was sniffed out by a united opposition — INDIA — and the Constitution amendment bill was defeated. We express heartfelt thanks to all the leaders of the opposition parties.” The CPI said the defeat showed that there is strong opposition to any attempt to change the balance of representation in the country under questionable grounds.
CPI leader P Sandosh Kumar said, “Women across the country must see through the BJP’s approach. By linking women’s reservation to the census and delimitation, the government tried to delay its actual implementation.” He termed the bill an agenda to weaken the federal structure.
Samajwadi Party’s Iqra Hasan demanded that the Centre should bring the Women’s Reservation Bill without tweaks or “get ready to be labelled as ‘anti-women’.” Party MP Dimple Yadav said the ruling party is so attached to power that it is unwilling to let go of its positions, especially as its public support is declining and it knows this government may not last.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien hailed the bill’s defeat as a “beginning of the end for Narendra and Amit.” TMC MP June Maliah said the opposition suggested increasing reservations to even 50 per cent, but opposed linking it with delimitation. “We were saying you pass it. And why 33 per cent, make it 50 per cent, but why bring delimitation and everything else with it? That’s what we are opposing,” she said.