Delhi, India
Congress MP Jebi Mather on Saturday criticised the government over the failure of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the issue directly in his upcoming address to the nation.
Speaking in Delhi, Jebi Mather alleged that the Women’s Reservation Bill was used as a tool to push forward delimitation related provisions, which she claimed led to concerns among opposition parties.
She stated that women were used as a “tool” to cover the delimitation process, and credited the opposition for intervening and preventing the bill from passing.
Mather urged the Prime Minister to apologise to women across the country, arguing that their expectations were not met due to the failure of the bill.
She said that the Prime Minister should first apologise to the women of India and acknowledge the outcome of the parliamentary process.
The Congress MP also called on the Prime Minister to accept what she described as a political “defeat” gracefully. She suggested that his address to the nation should include a clear commitment to implementing women’s reservation without linking it to other processes.
She proposed that the government should ensure that the provisions of the 2023 Women’s Reservation Bill are implemented within the existing strength of 543 Lok Sabha seats by 2029.
Mather further expressed hope that the Prime Minister’s address would focus on accountability and clarity, rather than unexpected or controversial decisions. Drawing a comparison to past policy announcements, she cautioned against surprises that could create uncertainty.
She remarked that the address should not be like past sudden decisions such as demonetisation or pandemic related measures, and instead should reflect transparency and responsibility.
The comments come amid an intense political debate over women’s reservation, delimitation, and constitutional amendments, with both the ruling alliance and opposition presenting sharply differing views.
While the government has maintained that the bill was aimed at empowering women and ensuring fair representation, opposition leaders have argued that certain provisions raised concerns about electoral restructuring and transparency.
Mather’s remarks reflect the opposition’s demand for clarity, accountability, and a standalone implementation of women’s reservation.
It is important to note that these statements are part of political discourse, and the government has not responded to these specific remarks in this context.
With the Prime Minister set to address the nation, political attention remains focused on how the government will respond to the ongoing controversy and outline its future course of action.
