19 April 2026 : Gandhinagar, today Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Union Minister Raksha Khadse, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and state BJP President Jagdish Vishwakarma, addressed a press conference at the party’s state headquarters Kamalam in Koba, Gandhinagar, sharply criticising the Congress over the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Speaking at the press meet, Khadse alleged that the Congress and its allies obstructed the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, calling it a betrayal of women and the youth of the country. She stated that despite clear provisions in the 2023 bill indicating its implementation after delimitation, the opposition politicised the issue and denied women their rightful empowerment.
“The bill was a historic step aimed at increasing women’s representation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, Congress and its allies blocked this progressive move,” Khadse said, adding that the BJP remains committed to securing women’s rights and will continue its efforts.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel echoed similar sentiments, accusing the Congress of “double standards” on women’s issues. “On one hand, they claim to support women, and on the other, they attempt to block legislative empowerment. This exposes their two-faced politics before the public,” he said. Patel described the bill as a transformative initiative to provide 33% reservation to women in legislative bodies, calling it a decisive step toward empowerment.
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He further added that forces opposing women’s progress have never sustained themselves politically and will continue to face rejection. “What happened in Parliament was not just the defeat of a bill, but a blow to the aspirations of millions of women across India,” Patel remarked.
State BJP President Jagdish Vishwakarma also criticised the opposition, alleging that the Congress fears the rise of women from ordinary families entering Parliament and challenging dynastic politics. “Their mindset is to promote women from political families while preventing grassroots women from advancing,” he said.
According to the BJP’s state media release, the press conference highlighted that the bill, introduced under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was intended to ensure greater participation of women in governance and decision-making.
Khadse further pointed to various initiatives undertaken by the central government since 2014, including schemes aimed at improving women’s welfare and economic independence. She cited the success of initiatives such as the Ujjwala scheme, which has provided LPG connections to over 110 million households, and the “Lakhpati Didi” mission that has empowered women through self-help groups.
The leaders asserted that women voters and youth are closely observing these developments and will respond accordingly in future elections.
The press conference was attended by senior party leaders, office bearers, and members of the BJP sangathan.
