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Politics
Smriti Irani Urges Rahul Gandhi to Support 33% Women’s Reservation Bill
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 24 Aug 2026, 08:55 AM
👁 3
BJP national general secretary Smriti Irani called on opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday to back the proposed 33% reservation for women in legislative bodies.
BJP national general secretary Smriti Irani publicly appealed to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Sunday, urging him to endorse the 33% reservation quota for women in legislative assemblies.
Irani emphasized that Gandhi’s earlier statements praising women’s empowerment should be matched by concrete support for the reservation bill, which seeks to allocate one‑third of seats to women across Parliament and state legislatures.
The call comes as the government’s women’s quota proposal remains pending in Parliament, and Irani’s demand highlights the political contest over its implementation.
By pressing the opposition leader, the BJP aims to portray a bipartisan consensus on gender‑parity measures, while also testing Rahul Gandhi’s willingness to translate verbal support into legislative action.
Analysts note that any shift in the opposition’s stance could influence the bill’s prospects, given the tight arithmetic required for passage in the Lok Sabha.
Irani emphasized that Gandhi’s earlier statements praising women’s empowerment should be matched by concrete support for the reservation bill, which seeks to allocate one‑third of seats to women across Parliament and state legislatures.
The call comes as the government’s women’s quota proposal remains pending in Parliament, and Irani’s demand highlights the political contest over its implementation.
By pressing the opposition leader, the BJP aims to portray a bipartisan consensus on gender‑parity measures, while also testing Rahul Gandhi’s willingness to translate verbal support into legislative action.
Analysts note that any shift in the opposition’s stance could influence the bill’s prospects, given the tight arithmetic required for passage in the Lok Sabha.