India's Kiren Rijiju and Rahul Gandhi clash over Women's Reservation Bill

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi are engaged in a political dispute regarding the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill, also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023.

Rahul Gandhi has called for the unconditional implementation of the law, questioning why the government has linked its execution to the delimitation exercise. He maintains that the Congress party previously supported the bill and demands it be enacted without further conditions.

In response, Kiren Rijiju argued that the delimitation process is essential to meet the goal of implementing women's quotas by the 2029 general elections. He noted that because the law relies on census figures published after 2026, waiting for subsequent census cycles could delay implementation until the 2034 elections. Rijiju further criticized the Congress party for failing to acknowledge its own shortcomings, drawing a comparison to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, whom he claimed was more direct in admitting past political actions.

The legislative hurdle stems from the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which failed to secure the necessary two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha.