Congress can be anti-women, but women will not consider Shashi Tharoor as anti-women: Rijiju

New Delhi: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju has criticised Opposition parties after their stand on the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, saying they will face public backlash for opposing a measure aimed at increasing women’s representation in Parliament and state assemblies.

In an interview with ANI, Rijiju questioned the Opposition’s decision to vote against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which proposes 33 per cent reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, based on the 2011 census.

“Who would think that someone would vote against women? We don't have a two-thirds majority, we have a simple majority with the government. But who would have thought even in a dream that Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party would vote against women? In 2023 also (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed), everyone supported, everyone came together in the name of women. We thought it will happen again,” he said.

He added that the legislative roadmap had already been established in the 2023 law.

“They say delimitation was linked (to the amendment bill). It is written in the 2023 law that delimitation will take place after 2026 census and it will be implemented. Why was it not opposed then. This is the process. Decision on reservation has been made, how to take it forward, this has to be done,” Rijiju said.

Addressing concerns raised by Opposition parties about the impact on southern states due to seat redistribution, he said the process had been clearly explained.

“They just wanted to oppose..” he added.

Rijiju also rejected suggestions that the bill should be implemented within the existing 543 seats.

“Is this how democracy should work?” he said, arguing that constituency sizes are outdated and based on the 1971 population freeze.

“Population was around 54 crore in 1971 and not one seat has been increased since then,” he said, adding that India’s system differs significantly from several European democracies in terms of voter-to-seat ratios.

On claims that the Opposition supports women’s reservation in principle but opposed the bill due to delimitation concerns, Rijiju said the framework was already set.

“Modiji told opposition that if you want to take credit, take it. But they will have to face the anger of women for opposing (the amendment bill),” he said.

Referring to internal political interactions, Rijiju also mentioned a light exchange with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

“Shashi Tharoor, when the parliament session was over, in the hall, he told me...but no woman will consider Shashi Tharoor is opposed to women. I said, yes, no one will call you women's opposition,” he said, adding that Tharoor “agreed in a way”.

The Opposition had opposed the Bill in the Lok Sabha on April 17. In the division vote, 298 members supported it while 230 voted against.

Following its defeat, the government did not proceed with two related bills that would have increased the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats alongside the reservation provision.

Opposition parties maintain they support women’s reservation but objected to the delimitation-linked implementation plan, arguing instead that it should apply within the current parliamentary strength.