Mumbai, Apr 17 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday accused the opposition of “hypocrisy” over the defeat of the women’s reservation bill, stating that it failed to support women’s empowerment when given a “historic opportunity”.
In a post on X, Fadnavis said that the entire country witnessed the opposition’s stand. For these parties, women’s empowerment exists “only in speeches and slogans”, he added.
“They chose politics over progress. Their resistance to the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill has exposed exactly whose interests they truly serve,” he said.
Women across the country were taking note of the opposition’s stand and “will not forget this”, Fadnavis further said.
His government was committed to women’s empowerment, the chief minister asserted, adding that it did not indulge only in rhetoric.
The BJP would take to the streets from Saturday to ensure “every right, every justice, every honour” for women, Fadnavis said.
A Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday. While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it.
NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto, meanwhile, said the BJP-led government faced a defeat in Parliament because it tried to misuse its powers and mislead the country in the name of women’s empowerment.
The BJP’s “misogynist mindset” was shown its rightful place and it was a lesson for the saffron party that it can not fool the people of India because they still have honest and truthful people representing them in parliament, Crasto said. PTI MR KRK
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