Oppn Vows to Defeat Women’s Bill; Rahul Gandhi Points to ‘Number 16’

PM urges MPs to vote for ‘women in your own families’ as debate heats up

The Lok Sabha witnessed fierce confrontation on Friday as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi declared that the Opposition will defeat the women’s reservation amendment Bill, terming it a “shameful law” designed to redraw India’s electoral map rather than empower women.

Referring to a cryptic riddle involving the date April 16, Gandhi told the House that “16 is the number” and the complete answer to the puzzle. While he refused to elaborate further, Congress sources indicated the reference ties to the government’s alleged hidden agenda behind the delimitation exercise.

Heated Exchange in House

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a strong appeal on X, urged all MPs to “reflect upon their conscience” and think about the women in their own families while voting. He called the legislation a historic opportunity to ensure justice for Nari Shakti.

However, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge rejected the appeal outright. “We will not allow the Bill to pass. We will vote against it,” Kharge said. TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee accused the government of resorting to unnecessary “drama” over delimitation.

Rahul’s Sharp Attack

Speaking during the second day of the special session, Gandhi claimed the Bill is a panic reaction by the BJP. He described PM Modi’s Thursday speech as “low energy” where “nothing was transmitting.”

“This women’s reservation Bill will not empower women. Bring the old law and we will support it,” Gandhi said. He alleged the government is attempting to “rejig” the political map, similar to exercises conducted in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam.

The ‘Number 16’ Riddle

When pressed by reporters later about the significance of the number, Gandhi remained evasive. “It’s a puzzle. I won’t tell the answer this way,” he said.

The remark sparked intense speculation, with opposition sources hinting at a major political disclosure. Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan accused the LoP of “lowering the dignity” of his post by relying on storytelling and analogies instead of debating policy.

Key Meeting & Numbers Game

As the debate continued, a key meeting of the BJP was held in Parliament House under party president Nitin Nabin to finalise strategy. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to respond to the debate around 6 pm.

According to official sources, the government needs a special majority to pass the constitutional amendment. With the NDA holding 292 MPs and the INDIA bloc at 233, the ruling coalition is confident but short of the two-thirds mark without opposition support.

What Next for the Bill

The Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, was formally brought into force late Thursday to enable the current amendments. Voting on the three amended Bills related to delimitation and quota implementation is expected later on Friday.

For the latest news updates on the Parliament proceedings, follow this English news portal India. The final numbers will determine whether the government secures a historic win or faces a surprise defeat on the floor of the House.