In TN, Rahul hails opposition over blocking 'hidden agenda' in women's bill

A day after the ruling National Democratic Alliance failed to pass the women’s reservation amendment bill in the Lok Sabha due to a shortage of a two-thirds majority. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the opposition parties defeated the delimitation bill to defend the “idea of India”.

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Addressing a rally in Ponneri in northern Chennai in Tamil Nadu on Saturday (April 18) for the upcoming Assembly elections, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre brought a new bill on Thursday (April 16), and said they were trying to pass the women’s bill, which he said was passed three years ago.

'Delimitation hidden agenda in so-called women bill'

Rahul alleged that delimitation was the hidden agenda in the “so-called” women’s bill, and if passed, it would have reduced Tamil Nadu’s representation in the country.

“In the so-called Women's Bill, delimitation was hidden. The idea was to reduce Tamil Nadu's representation in the Union of India... the delimitation move by the BJP was to weaken the strength of southern states, small states, north eastern states,” he alleged.

“We defeated in Parliament, a bill in which delimitation was hidden; we defeated it to defend the idea of India,” the Congress leader said.

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Rahul added that India, that is Bharat, is a union of states, and every single state should have a voice, be free to express itself, and protect its traditions.

It was his first campaign in Tamil Nadu this election season. The Congress is contesting in the state as part of the alliance of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), spearheaded by Chief Minister M K Stalin. Rahul was set to campaign in three areas for the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance candidates. Rahul and Stalin are, however, unlikely to share the stage during the campaign phase, said DMK sources.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also campaigning in the southern state on Saturday.

(With agency inputs)