BJP Wokha accuses opposition of blocking women’s reservation

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wokha unit has accused the opposition parties of obstructing the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, terming the delay as an “attack on women’s rights.”
Addressing a press conference at the party office on Tuesday, BJP leaders expressed concern over the prolonged delay in implementing the legislation. They alleged that Congress and other opposition parties were creating hurdles to prevent women from availing timely benefits under the Bill.
BJP Wokha president Rhanbemo Odyuo said the opposition owed an apology to women across the country. He asserted that the NDA government stood firmly for women’s rights and urged women not to forgive the Congress and other opposition parties for the delay. He further alleged that the opposition was unwilling to provide opportunities to ordinary women, favouring only privileged individuals.
Deputy chairperson of Wokha Town Council, Nzano P. Kikon, explained that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam provided for 33 percent reservation for women based on delimitation following the Census expected after 2026. She cautioned that waiting for the Census and delimitation could delay benefits even beyond the 2029 general elections, stressing the need to delink implementation from this condition.
BJP Mahila Morcha president Caroline Patton highlighted that delimitation involves redrawing constituency boundaries, which is essential for implementing reservation. She pointed out that the current cap of 550 Lok Sabha seats, fixed in 1976, does not reflect India’s present population growth and suggested raising the number to 850 for fairer representation.
BJP Wokha vice president James Tungoe said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the party strongly supports 33 percent reservation for women. He described the bill as a long-pending reform of 27 years and emphasized that while women excel in various fields, their representation in politics remains inadequate. He expressed confidence that the legislation would empower women and stressed that it was not merely a political move but a national initiative for societal progress. The BJP Wokha unit further stated that women across India would respond through the power of their vote and push what it described as “anti-women forces” to the margins of politics.