Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asserted that the government remains committed to implementing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures and said “no power in the world can stop us” from achieving it, despite the defeat of the constitutional amendment bill in Parliament.
Addressing a public rally in Tenkasi district in support of BJP candidate Ananthan Ayyasamy for the April 23 Assembly polls, Singh launched a sharp attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Congress and other opposition parties over the bill’s failure in the Lok Sabha.
“Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought a bill in Parliament to ensure 33 per cent reservation for our mothers and sisters in Parliament, assemblies and councils. The DMK, Congress, TMC and Communist parties did not allow it to be passed,” he said.
However, Singh added that the government would still push ahead with the reform. “We will certainly give 33 per cent reservation for women and no power in the world can stop us,” he said.
The remarks come days after a Constitution Amendment Bill proposing women’s reservation, along with an expansion of Lok Sabha seats to 816, was defeated in the Lower House amid opposition resistance linked to the delimitation framework.
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Singh also targeted the DMK government over allegations of corruption, claiming that central agencies had flagged irregularities in the state. He referred to alleged cases linked to the TASMAC liquor distribution system as an example of “deep-rooted corruption”.
“The DMK government is playing with the lives of poor people. Corruption allegations have become a pattern,” he said, urging voters to “give farewell” to the ruling party in the upcoming elections.
The Defence Minister further criticised the state government on issues related to religious practices, alleging that devotees were denied permission to follow traditions despite court directions in certain temple-related matters.
He also accused the state administration of failing to curb illicit liquor trade and said the NDA would establish local mechanisms to address the issue if voted to power.
Singh said the BJP-led alliance was committed to both development and cultural preservation in Tamil Nadu, reiterating that women’s reservation would be implemented despite the parliamentary setback.
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