A Congress leader has credited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi with pushing for a 33% quota for women in panchayats, sparking a debate over women's reservation in India.
Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh said that the initiative to provide 33% reservation for women belongs to the Congress party, with Rajiv Gandhi's efforts making women's quota in village and district panchayats possible.
However, Singh opposed the Centre's move to push for delimitation, calling for the passage of the women's bill as soon as possible.
BJP MP Harsh V Shringla countered that the implementation of women's reservation was part of Prime Minister Modi's vision for women-led development, and that any party not supporting the bill is anti-women and anti-representation.
The Centre has approved draft amendment bills to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, and plans to implement the women's reservation ahead of the 2029 General Elections by bringing in an amendment to the 2023 Act and a constitutional amendment to delink the delimitation process from the 2027 census.
