Daijiworld Media Network - Guwahati

Guwahati, Apr 20: The Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress has launched a sharp attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of spreading misinformation around the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill and delaying its implementation.

At a press briefing in Guwahati, state Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur alleged that the BJP was attempting to project opposition parties as being against women’s empowerment, while diverting attention from what she called the Centre’s failure to put the 2023 law into effect.

She questioned the justification for linking the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures to the delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. According to her, such conditions were unnecessary and only served to postpone meaningful political representation for women.

Borthakur used strong criticism against the ruling party, accusing it of adopting a “create and resolve” strategy, suggesting that it manufactures problems and then presents itself as the solution. She claimed that voters are increasingly becoming aware of such political messaging.

Reiterating the Congress party’s stance, she said the opposition has consistently supported women’s empowerment and demanded immediate enforcement of the reservation without additional conditions or delays. She also asserted that the Indian National Congress has historically given greater representation to women candidates compared to the BJP.

The Mahila Congress leader further raised concerns about women’s safety and rights, alleging a gap between the government’s public commitments and ground-level realities. She added that Congress leaders have maintained that the reservation should be implemented based on the current composition of the Lok Sabha rather than waiting for future processes like delimitation.

Calling for public vigilance, Borthakur urged citizens not to be influenced by what she described as political propaganda, and reaffirmed that her party would continue to push for immediate implementation of the women’s reservation law.