Priyanka questions rush, dubs it BJP poll ploy

Congress lawmaker Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the ‘women's reservation issue to prepare ground for the 2029 general elections and questioned the government’s intent to link the ‘women's quota law with delimitation and the rush to push the proposed delimitation on the basis of 2011 census.

- HT Correspondent

Taking part in a debate in the Lok Sabha on three bills introduced for amendments in the women's reservation law and setting up a delimitation commission, Priyanka Gandhi claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi “cannot be trusted” and asserted that a caste census is important as women from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) also need to be given their due.

“As long as the caste enumeration doesn’t happen, all sections of the society will not get proper representation. This government wants to move ahead with the 2011 census because it doesn’t have an OBC population count,” the Wayanad MP said. “By making the 2011 Census the basis for delimitation, PM Modi is attempting to snatch the rights of the OBC community. However, the Congress will never allow this to happen.”