No Discrimination Between North-South or Any State: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured that there will be no discrimination between northern and southern states, or any state, in the process of delimitation. He emphasized that the existing proportion of seats among states will remain unchanged.

Addressing the opposition’s conditional support for women’s reservation, the Prime Minister described their “ifs and buts” as technical excuses that have delayed the implementation of 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies for over three decades.

He warned that those opposing women’s reservation today may face political consequences in the future, stating that the nation’s women will judge the intent behind such positions.

Referring to the challenge of securing a two-thirds majority for the constitutional amendment, he said that while numbers will decide the timing, the commitment towards empowering women remains clear.

Notably, voting on the bill is scheduled in the Lok Sabha on April 17. During the discussion on April 16 regarding the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment Bill, the Prime Minister explained the necessity of delimitation and increasing the number of seats alongside women’s reservation.

Key Points from the Address

• No changes will be made to the current seat distribution among states.
• No discrimination will occur between North and South India or any state.
• Opposition’s concerns termed as delays and technical excuses.
• Women’s reservation has been pending for over 30 years.
• Proposal includes increasing total seats, creating more opportunities for women.

The Prime Minister also highlighted past political reluctance, noting that earlier there was a belief that reservation could be easily implemented in local bodies like panchayats, but not in Parliament, due to fear of losing seats.

Without directly naming any government, he indirectly referred to earlier administrations when the bill passed in the Rajya Sabha but failed to pass in the Lok Sabha due to lack of consensus.

He stated that the current proposal addresses concerns by suggesting a 50% increase in seats across states, allowing more representation without reducing existing shares.

Calling the denial of women’s rights a historical wrong, the Prime Minister described this as an opportunity for correction and urged all political parties not to weigh the issue politically, but to treat it as a matter of national interest.