DMK which has been a relentless crusader for women's rights over the last 75 years, has consistently supported and wholeheartedly welcomes...
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin criticized the Union Women's Reservation Bill, demanding OBC sub-quotas and protection against punitive parliamentary delimitation for southern states.
M.K.Stalin@mkstalinOriginal post
DMK which has been a relentless crusader for women's rights over the last 75 years, has consistently supported and wholeheartedly welcomes measures for women's reservation.
However, I wish to express my deep concerns regarding the Women's Reservation Bill introduced by the BJP Government. While they swiftly enacted controversial legislations such as the three farm laws, the abrogation of Article 370, and the introduction of the EWS Quota, they have displayed a marked lack of commitment in implementing the #WomenReservationBill.
BJP, which has held a substantial majority in Parliament for the past nine years, did not actively engage in discussions regarding women's reservation until the approach of the 2024 elections. Regrettably, the current bill's effectiveness is contingent on the completion of the delayed census and subsequent delimitation process in 2026, thereby postponing its realisation until 2029. People are clever enough to see through BJP's empty rhetoric.
I urge the Union Government to provide assurance that Southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, will not experience a reduction in representation during the impending delimitation process based on population. It is unjust that Southern states, which have diligently followed the Union Government's policies to control population growth, may face punitive measures during the constituency delimitation.
Furthermore, it is only equitable to demand reservation for OBC women as well.
Let us not pass mere token bills; instead, let us work towards genuine and meaningful change.
#DMK4WomenReservation
DMK President and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed profound reservations regarding the Union government's Women's Reservation Bill, warning that its conditional implementation clauses turn a vital democratic reform into an electoral gimmick. While reaffirming the DMK's seventy-five-year championship of gender equality, Stalin pointed out that tying the bill's execution to an indefinite future census and subsequent parliamentary delimitation postpones women's legislative representation until at least 2029.
The Chief Minister demanded explicit statutory guarantees that southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, will not suffer punitive seat reductions during future population-based delimitation. He argued that it is profoundly unfair and undemocratic to penalize progressive southern states that have meticulously and successfully implemented national population control programs over past decades.
Furthermore, Stalin emphasized that authentic gender justice remains incomplete without proportional representation for backward communities, reiterating the demand for an internal quota for Other Backward Class (OBC) women. He urged the Union government to abandon mere tokenism and enact immediate, sincere electoral reservations without waiting for delayed demographic exercises. Concluding his statement, Stalin asserted that the DMK will persistently struggle to protect federal rights and ensure inclusive social representation in India's legislative institutions.