New Delhi, April 17
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday strongly asserted in the Lok Sabha that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological predecessor, the Jan Sangh, have consistently championed greater participation of women in Parliament and state politics.
Speaking during the debate on the Women's Reservation Bill and related delimitation measures in the special session of Parliament, HM Shah presented historical data to underscore the steady rise in women's representation over the decades.
He noted that the first Lok Sabha had only 22 women members. This number increased to 51 in the 14th Lok Sabha, reached a record 71 in the 17th Lok Sabha, and stands at 75 in the 18th Lok Sabha.
"This clear upward trend reflects the growing acceptance and encouragement of women in politics," HM Shah said.
"However, we need to provide a much larger platform to further enhance this participation and give it the momentum it deserves."
The Home Minister emphasised that the present government has supported women's empowerment both in letter and spirit.
He recalled the pioneering roles played by several women leaders from the BJP in steering state administrations.
Leaders such as Uma Bharti, who served as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Anandiben Patel of Gujarat, Sushma Swaraj, and Vasundhara Raje of Rajasthan were highlighted as trailblazers who led states with distinction.
HM Shah further pointed out that Delhi now has a woman Chief Minister, adding that the Congress party, in contrast, has never appointed a woman as Chief Minister of any state in its long history of governance.
The remarks came as the House debated constitutional amendments aimed at enabling the early implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
HM Shah's intervention sought to counter Opposition criticism by reiterating the BJP's long-standing commitment to women's political representation, distancing it from any perception of being a recent or politically motivated move.
Parliament witnessed intense discussions on linking the women's quota with the delimitation exercise and the proposed increase in the strength of the Lok Sabha.
The government has maintained that these steps are essential to ensure that the reservation does not reduce the number of general seats available.
HM Shah's speech reinforced the ruling dispensation's position that empowering women in politics remains a core priority, backed by consistent ideological support dating back to the Jan Sangh era.
The observations are expected to set the tone for further deliberations and voting on the key Bills in the coming hours.
- IANS
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