Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday, April 19 criticised opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samajwadi Party, and All India Trinamool Congress, over their stance on the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament.

Addressing reporters in Kolkata, Rijiju alleged that there was a growing public sentiment against these parties across the country. He said the ruling side had made repeated efforts to seek broader political consensus on the issue of women’s reservation, including reaching out to the Trinamool Congress despite ideological differences.

Rijiju stated that the opposition parties’ decision to vote against the Bill in the Lok Sabha reflected their position on women’s political representation. He further alleged that such a stance would have political consequences and claimed that these parties would be perceived as opposing women’s empowerment.

The Minister emphasised that the government had attempted to build unity on the matter, describing women’s reservation as an issue of national importance rather than political division. He maintained that the Bill aimed to enhance women’s participation in legislative bodies and strengthen democratic representation.