Bidar: Criticising the central government's handling of the Women's Reservation Bill, Bidar MP Sagar Khandre said that women's empowerment is not merely a political slogan for the Congress party, but an integral part of its ideological legacy.

He stated that the Congress party's commitment to gender equality has deep historical roots, strengthened under the leadership of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

"Women empowerment is not just an electoral strategy for Congress; it is part of our history," he said. He added that the party has consistently worked to empower women, from strengthening grassroots democracy to ensuring representation in local governing bodies.

Khandre also termed the central government's approach as a "planned gimmick" aimed at shifting blame onto the opposition. He alleged that by linking the Women's Reservation Bill with the process of constituency delimitation, the government has created unnecessary constitutional complications.

He further said that linking reservation with delimitation could negatively impact southern states that have successfully implemented population control measures. According to him, the government was aware that this linkage was unacceptable to many, yet proceeded in a way that allowed it to portray the opposition as obstructive, despite their support for the bill's core objective.

Khandre added that if the Modi government had introduced the Women's Reservation Bill independently, it would have been passed unanimously. "If they are truly sincere, they should separate it from delimitation and table it in Parliament today itself. Congress and its allies will ensure its passage without delay," he said.