Implement women’s quota immediately, delink from delimitation: Varsha Gaikwad

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad on 21 April called for immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, asserting that linking it to delimitation was causing unnecessary delays.

“Our clear stand is that 33 per cent reservation for women must be implemented right now,” Gaikwad, the Mumbai North-Central MP, said.

Referring to the women’s reservation framework passed in 2023, she said that had it been implemented in 2024, there would have been around 180 women members in the Lok Sabha at present.

She alleged that the Narendra Modi-led Union government was using the legislation as a “shield” without enforcing it.

Raises concerns over delays, funding disparities

Gaikwad also flagged that the ‘Shakti’ bill passed by the Maharashtra legislature to strengthen women’s safety has been awaiting Presidential approval for nearly three years.

“It must be approved immediately,” she said.

The Congress leader further alleged discrimination in allocation of funds to local representatives in Mumbai, claiming that Opposition corporators, including women, receive significantly less funding compared to those from the ruling party.

“Isn’t this discrimination against women, when ruling party corporators are given funds of crores while Opposition corporators, including women, receive only a fraction?” she said.

Crime, representation and political claims

On crimes against women, Gaikwad questioned enforcement, saying strong statements were made but action against influential individuals remained limited.

“Big statements are made, but how many powerful people have actually faced action?” she said.

She also criticised the Centre over what she described as symbolic gestures, referring to the election of a tribal woman as President and alleging she was not invited to key events.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which proposed implementation of women’s reservation and an increase in Lok Sabha seats to 816, was defeated in the Lok Sabha recently, triggering political exchanges between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Opposition parties.

While the BJP has accused the Opposition of blocking women’s reservation, Opposition leaders have maintained that their objection was to linking the quota to delimitation rather than the reservation itself.