After PM’s Parl speech, Cong questions silence on delimitation – The Tribune

The Congress on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not addressing concerns over delimitation in his Lok Sabha speech, with senior leaders Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal setting out the party’s objections to the proposed exercise and the government’s approach.

Ramesh said the Prime Minister did not engage with the central issue in Parliament. “Uncharacteristically, the PM delivered only a 40-minute speech… Characteristically, he addressed every matter other than the key issue that is actually at stake–delimitation. He didn’t address a single concern raised around it,” he said.

He also questioned the government’s outreach claims, stating that calls for an all-party meeting were not accepted. “The PM repeatedly called for bipartisanship… Unfortunately, his government has done anything but inspire bipartisan confidence,” Ramesh said, adding that no state was consulted on the proposed changes.

Raising concerns over the legislative framework, he said the Bills did not spell out how delimitation would be carried out while leaving scope for major changes in representation. He criticised the PM’s remarks dismissing concerns as “technical bahanebaazi (drama)”, saying “the legitimate anxieties” of several states had not been addressed. He said voters in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal would respond “at the ballot box”.

On women’s reservation, Ramesh said the Opposition’s demand for a sub-quota for Other Backward Classes remained unaddressed. “We must introduce a quota within quota… But the PM is wilfully deaf to this demand,” he said, also noting that the PM referred to his caste background without engaging with the policy issue.

In the Lok Sabha, Venugopal said the Women’s Reservation Bill, passed unanimously in 2023, could have been implemented earlier. “If the government were sincere, it could have implemented it in 2024. Instead, it is using the issue for political theatrics,” he said.

Venugopal credited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for enabling women’s participation through panchayati raj institutions. “The PM spoke about empowering women in panchayats. But who gave them that power? It was Rajiv Gandhi’s vision,” he said.

Venugopal said the proposed delimitation exercise raised larger concerns. “Delimitation is being used as a political tool ahead of the 2029 elections,” he said, questioning why no all-party meeting was convened. “If this is a Constitutional Bill, does it not require Opposition support?” he asked. He urged the government to withdraw the Bill and return after consultations.