Women's Reservation Act Won't Affect State Representation: PM Modi in Assam Ahead of State Assembly Polls

Barpeta: Amid criticism over the special Parliament session called to implement the Women's Reservation Act, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured that the move will not affect the representation of any state, noting population control measures in North-Eastern and Southern states.

Speaking at a public rally in Barpeta, the Prime Minister emphasised that the legislation would benefit all states and no state would face any disadvantage, urging political leaders across parties to work together to pass the law. "The government has called a special session of Parliament starting April 16th. We have discussed this with all political parties in the country. We have urged everyone to unanimously advance this work related to the rights of the country's sisters and daughters. Some people are trying to spread confusion about this noble cause," PM Modi said.

"All states in the country will benefit from this. No state will be harmed by it. Whether it's the Northeast or South India, where population control is prevalent, their representation will not be diminished at all. We are making arrangements to provide additional seats for women. The current number of seats should be further increased. Therefore, I especially urge the sisters of Assam to urge all the leaders of all political parties to pass this law together," he added.

Highlighting peace and stability in Assam, PM Modi said that the state had returned to normalcy after years of struggle and sacrifice, stressing the importance of keeping Congress away. He alleged that the party had historically undermined the armed forces, citing issues such as 'One Rank One Pension'.

"Peace has returned to Assam after many years of effort and sacrifice. That is why it is very important to keep Congress away from Assam. To target me, Congress has even insulted our armed forces, whether it was after the air strike or the surgical strike. One example of how Congress betrayed the trust of our soldiers is One Rank One Pension," he said.

On farmers' welfare, he pointed out that when Congress was in power in 2013, the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy was Rs 1,300 per quintal, which has now increased to Rs 2,370 under the BJP. PM Modi further asserted that Congress has not worked effectively for paddy farmers' welfare.

"In the year 2013, when Congress was in power, the MSP for paddy was just Rs 1,300 per quintal. Under the BJP, it has increased to Rs 2,370 per quintal. Before 2014, paddy farmers received only Rs 4 lakh crore under MSP. After 2014, MSP payments to farmers increased four times to Rs 16 lakh crore. Congress can never truly work for the welfare of paddy farmers," he said.

The special Parliamentary session to pass the Women's Reservation Amendment Bill will convene from April 16. The bill was passed by Parliament in 2023. The base for delimitation had originally been set at the 2011 census. The Delimitation Act will be amended accordingly. The Government is currently building consensus as this legislation will need a 2/3rd majority to pass, making it crucial to secure support from opposition parties.

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