Jammu, Apr 19: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri charged Congress and allies like DMK, TMC, and SP with hatching a “conspiracy” to sabotage the Women’s Reservation Bill, warning they have “played with fire” and face public backlash.
At a press conference with former NCW chief Rekha Sharma, Puri said the government bent over backwards—even with Home Minister Amit Shah’s hour-long appeal for suggestions—but opposition rejected constructive dialogue to delay implementation beyond 2029.
“This isn’t politics; it’s a betrayal of women’s aspirations,” Puri stated, calling the bill a shift to “women-led development.” He touted achievements like 11 crore toilets, 3 crore PMAY houses (mostly women-owned), and future 4 crore units, plus data debunking southern states’ delimitation fears.
Puri affirmed the government’s push for pre-2029 rollout, per PM Modi’s address, and vowed to take it to voters if blocked. Sharma labeled the opposition’s stance “shameless foeticide of women’s rights,” noting stalled progress from 3% to 14% parliamentary representation over decades. She clarified Manipur violence as “ethnic with historical roots,” with Centre engaging stakeholders.
