SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal Accuses BJP of Shifting Stance on Women's Reservation
In a strong parliamentary address on Friday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal launched a scathing critique against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging repeated changes in position regarding the implementation of the women's reservation bill. Speaking from Chandigarh, Badal expressed deep concern that "the delimitation exercise was being conducted in the garb of the women's reservation bill," suggesting the process is being misused for political purposes.
Constitutional Concerns Over Delimitation Process
Badal clarified that while her party supported the women's reservation bill in principle, they cannot endorse what she termed an "unconstitutional delimitation exercise." She emphasized that the Constitution explicitly states delimitation can only occur after a census, a fundamental requirement that she claims is being bypassed. The MP argued that proper delimitation should ensure a proportionate increase in Lok Sabha seats across all states to maintain equal representation in India's federal democracy.
Demand for Written Assurances Over Verbal Promises
The SAD leader expressed skepticism about verbal assurances given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding proportionate representation. "The government should provide written assurances," Badal insisted, pointing to historical precedents where verbal promises to Punjab remained unfulfilled. She specifically referenced:
- The 1986 promise to transfer Chandigarh to Punjab
- Assurances to release 'Bandi Singhs' (Sikh prisoners)
- Recent commitments for a CBI probe into the suicide of Punjab warehousing officer Gagandeep Singh Randhawa
Badal suggested these unkept promises demonstrate why written guarantees are essential for any agreement on women's reservation implementation.
Timing and Implementation Criticisms
The MP highlighted what she sees as deliberate delays in implementing women's reservation. She noted that the central government called a special session in September 2023 but failed to enact the 33% reservation for women at that time. According to Badal, proper implementation should have followed a census and subsequent delimitation exercise, but instead, "a new amended bill is being introduced without the necessary census."
Badal questioned why the census wasn't conducted over the past three years if the government was genuinely committed to women's reservation. She also pointed out that the women's reservation bill featured in BJP election manifestos for both 2014 and 2019 but only gained serious attention as the 2024 elections approached, suggesting the timing is politically motivated to appeal to women voters rather than based on genuine commitment to gender equality in representation.
The SAD MP's statements reflect growing concerns about the implementation mechanisms of the landmark women's reservation legislation and highlight ongoing tensions between constitutional processes and political expediency in India's democratic framework.
