After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s call to “smash the patriarchy” in Pune, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and former Union minister P Chidambaram engaged in a war of words, blaming each other’s parties over the Women’s Reservation Bill and women’s empowerment
Congress Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi, during his Chhatron Ki Goonj programme in Pune, appealed to the gathered girls, students and women professionals to break the cage laid down by the old dogmatic scripture Manusmriti. He asked them to establish their own identities rather than being identified only as a daughter, sister, wife or mother. Gandhi emphasised breaking the cage for women’s empowerment.
Reacting to Gandhi’s remarks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that Rahul Gandhi should first support the Women’s Reservation Bill and then speak about smashing patriarchy and breaking the cage.
In response, former Union minister P Chidambaram said that Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis was reported to have said: “Rahul Gandhi makes big statements about women’s empowerment on stage. But when it comes to passing the Women’s Reservation Bill, he and his party staunchly opposed it”
Chidambaram added, “I am sure the statement was due to cognitive fatigue because the Constitution (106th Amendment) Bill providing for 33% reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and the State legislative assemblies was passed in Parliament in 2023. The Congress wholeheartedly supported the Bill in both Houses of Parliament,” stated the Congress leader on his social media platform.
In response, Fadnavis said, “Dear P Chidambaram ji, I also wish to acquire the art of having selective memory. You know well that the 106th Constitution Amendment Act, 2023 — the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam that you read and voted for — contains a clear precondition. Under the provisions for reservation of seats for women, ‘shall come into effect only after the delimitation exercise has been conducted, which will happen based on the first census taken after the Act’s commencement.’
He added, “We all know the census was delayed due to COVID. Waiting for the post-commencement census and the subsequent delimitation exercise means the reservation cannot take effect in time for the 2029 general elections. That is precisely why, in 2026, the government brought fresh legislation Bills to enable delimitation on the basis of the already-published 2011 Census figures, expand the Lok Sabha strength, and operationalise the women’s reservation in time for the 2029 elections. Your leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress opposed and ensured the defeat of that effort in Parliament — thereby blocking the path to implementation of women’s reservation by 2029,” Fadnavis said.
He further said, “In 2023, you supported the 106th Amendment because you knew the NDA had the numbers and it would pass with or without your support. The moment the real opportunity for early implementation arose, the true colours of the Congress became evident. I once again reiterate: Our leader, Hon PM @narendramodi ji, will not leave any stone unturned to implement the women’s reservation in the Parliament elections of 2029 itself.”
