Women’s Reservation Bill Clash: 5 Explosive Moments as Mallikarjun Kharge Takes on Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha!

In the Rajya Sabha, a spirited exchange unfolded between Mallikarjun Kharge and Nirmala Sitharaman concerning remarks on the women’s reservation bill. Kharge, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, asserted that political parties often gravitate towards selecting ‘vulnerable’ women candidates, overlooking those who are well-educated and capable of robust advocacy. Sitharaman, in a rejoinder, passionately defended the parties’ choices, remarking, “While we hold the leader of the opposition in high esteem, making a sweeping generalization that all parties favor less effective women is entirely untenable. Our party and our leaders have consistently supported and empowered women. President Droupadi Murmu stands as a testament to empowered women in our ranks.”

Kharge, in response to Sitharaman’s counter, emphasized, “We emphasize that women hailing from marginalized communities, particularly Scheduled Tribes, are often denied the opportunities that they rightfully deserve.” Earlier, in the Lok Sabha, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the women’s reservation bill. Commending the legislation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon all members of the Rajya Sabha to give unanimous approval to the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ women’s reservation bill when it is presented in the Upper House after being ratified by the Lok Sabha.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill of 2023, which was introduced in the Lower House through a supplementary list of business, will come into effect following a delimitation exercise and will remain in force for a period of 15 years. The reserved seats for women will undergo rotation after each subsequent delimitation exercise, as stipulated in the bill.