Debabrata Saikia accuses PM Modi of using women’s reservation pitch to influence voters

Congress leader and Nazira Assembly constituency candidate Debabrata Saikia on Sunday, April 19 criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent address, alleging that it sought to politically target the Congress and influence voters on the issue of women’s reservation.

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, Saikia said the Prime Minister’s remarks continued a pattern of criticism directed at the opposition party. He asserted that recent political developments reflected a broader endorsement of democratic values, which he attributed to the Congress leadership.

Saikia further claimed that the Congress had played a key role in resisting what he described as an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to alter constitutional provisions under the pretext of the Women’s Reservation Bill. He noted that the legislation, passed in 2023, already outlines a timeline for implementation following the completion of a nationwide census and subsequent delimitation exercise, with operationalisation expected by 2029.

According to Saikia, linking the provisions of the Bill to ongoing electoral processes was inappropriate. He also raised concerns about the conduct of constitutional authorities, stating that the Election Commission and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha should have intervened to prevent what he termed as an effort to influence women voters.

The Congress leader additionally questioned the BJP’s commitment to women’s empowerment, alleging that the party’s ideological position has historically not aligned with advancing women’s rights.