Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 20: The Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday held the Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the defeat of the women’s reservation bill in the Lok Sabha pointing out that the opposition had fought against the delimitation bill only.
Addressing a poll rally in Cooch Behar in West Bengal, Mr Kharge said it was Mr Modi who “killed” the Constitution Amendment Bill to implement women’s quota in legislatures from 2029 by deliberately linking it with the delimitation bill.
Mr Kharge said, “We fought against the Delimitation Bill and not against the Bill on women’s quota. We are always keen to ensure the rights and welfare of women”, and reminded the gathering that the party has had women leaders like Sarojini Naidu, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Over the Prime Minister accusing the Congress and other opposition parties of committing “foeticide” in a national telecast after the bill to implement 33% women’s reservation in legislatures in 2029 derailed in the Lok Sabha, Mr Kharge said, “It is you [Modi] who killed the women’s reservation bill; we fought against the Delimitation Bill and not against the bill on women’s quota.”
Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister for campaigning extensively across West Bengal for the Assembly polls, he wondered if he wished to become the chief minister of the state.
Mr Modi in the meanwhile, addressed rallies in Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, and Paschim Medinipur, where he criticised Trinamool Congress government on several fronts, and called West Bengal’s ruling party “anti-tribal.”
The senior Congress leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who was campaigning in Tamil Nadu, said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was attempting to rule Tamil Nadu “by proxy.”
Addressing a rally in Kanyakumari, Mr Gandhi said, “The RSS is planning to, and trying to, rule Tamil Nadu by proxy. The same way Donald Trump [President of the United States] controls the Prime Minister of India, the Prime Minister of India wants to control Tamil Nadu through the AIADMK.”
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday urged the people to defeat the ‘slave’ alliance and ensure a resounding win for the DMK-led SPA in the April 23 Assembly elections. Addressing a poll campaign at Thiruvottiyur in Chennai in support of CPI(M) candidate L Sundararaj, he said the people should respond to the alleged “betrayal” of the BJP government at the Centre for causing a financial crisis in Tamil Nadu.
“Ensure the defeat of the ‘slave’ alliance in Tamil Nadu. April 23 is the time to give a fitting reply to the BJP government,” he urged the people. Udhayanidhi, who is also DMK youth wing secretary, claimed that the DMK government under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had ensured development across all sectors throughout the state inspite of the “fiscal” hardship imposed by the Centre.
