Women parliamentarians across party lines on Thursday (April 16, 2026), weighing in on the debate on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, and those bringing in delimitation in the States and Union Territories, while endorsing their party line, cited, in several instances, the positive role of the male founders and leaders of their parties in enabling the participation of women in jobs, education, and politics.

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Byreddy Shabari of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance,  invoked the legacy of the party’s founder N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) to argue that the idea of women-led development was not new. “In a country ruled by a woman Prime Minister, Indira, is it not a disgrace that women aren’t safe?” she said, quoting NTR. She described this as “the beginning of a vision for women-led development”, adding that her party “calls every woman its sister” and “converts ordinary women into Narayani”.

Ms. Shabari pointed to what she described as “pioneering steps” under NTR, including “the first party to announce 30% reservation for women in government jobs when the country was still debating Backward Class quotas”, and the establishment of a women’s university. The amendments to the Constitution brought in by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, were a landmark step in enshrining greater participation of women in parliamentary affairs.

From Bihar, Shambhavi (who goes by one name) of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), also a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally, framed the Bill as a historic corrective. “A statesman thinks of future generations; a politician thinks of the next election,” she said, praising party leader Chirag Paswan for fielding “40% women candidates without any legal requirement”. “Because of him, a 25-year-old like me can represent Bihar,” Ms. Shambhavi said. “Where women are worshipped, prosperity flows,” she said, drawing on scripture, calling the Bill “not a mere piece of paper but a proclamation of self-respect”.

Invoking B. R. Ambedkar, Ms. Shambhavi argued that “there is no social justice without gender justice”, and credited recent NDA policies — from the abolition of triple talaq to ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ — as steps in that direction. “Women have long been seen as silent voters; it is time they are seen as lawmakers,” she said, accusing the Opposition of lacking “political will” despite past parliamentary majorities.

Bansuri Swaraj of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi struck a similar note, but with a broader Constitutional framing. “We come from a civilisation where only Ma Durga can wield the powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva,” she said, arguing that while women have excelled globally in science and technology, political representation lags behind. “There are 13.6% women in Parliament, less than 10% in Assemblies — far below the global average of 27%,” Ms. Swaraj said. “Those who ask why women’s reservation can’t be implemented in the existing arrangement of 543 seats, I want to remind them that this country’s population has tripled since 1971 (after which seat expansion was frozen)....the expansion of seats to represent more women is necessary because reservation can be done only in identified constituencies.”

Calling the Bill “not a power grab but power sharing”, she dismissed concerns over delimitation as misplaced. “Delimitation is the route, not the destination,” she said, linking it to Constitutional processes envisaged by B.R. Ambedkar. “Women have waited 40 years. They are not flowers, but flaming sparks,” Ms. Swaraj said.

However, Pratima Mondal of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC)  offered a sharp dissent. “We will never oppose a women’s Bill, but we oppose its weaponisation,” she said, demanding 50% reservation for women. Describing the proposals as “electoral engineering”, she warned they would “redraw India’s democratic map”, and accused the government of acting out of “fear of electoral defeat”. “I come from a Dalit family and was not allowed to speak,” she said, recalling her own experience. “Assam has been made a laboratory of delimitation,” Ms. Mondal added.

Praniti Shinde of the Indian National Congress accused Mr. Modi of using saccharine language to couch deception. “If they were sincere, they would have brought this Bill in 2024 [General Election] itself. Their real motive is to fraudulently bring in the Delimitation Bill. There is no relationship between the two. They are conveying that women can only benefit from reservation if there are additional seats. PM Modi is trying to trick the people of the country with sweet words,” Ms. Shinde said.

D. Purandeshwari of the BJP, also referencing NTR’s reforms, said the Bill would “change the perception that women belong only inside their homes”, reinforcing the argument that earlier leaders had laid the groundwork for women’s advancement.

Adding a note of caution, Joba Majhi of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) said effective implementation would require accurate data. “Without a proper count of tribals and disadvantaged groups, women from these communities may not benefit,” she said.

Opposition parties had been indecisive for decades, Aparajita Sarangi of the BJP said, adding, “Narendra Modi has gone ahead and done it.”