3 weeks ago
Rijiju Questions Rahul Gandhi's 'Change of Heart' on Women's Reservation
Two important leaders in India were talking about women's rights.
Rahul Gandhi made a video saying that the energy of India's women is trapped and that they should be free to express themselves at home, in school, at work and on the streets.
He said no country can be successful if its women are not allowed to express themselves.
Kiren Rijiju, a minister in the government, liked the message.
But he joked that it seemed like Rahul Gandhi had a 'change of heart' about women.
Then he asked Rahul Gandhi's party, Congress, to support the Women's Reservation Bill without any conditions.
This bill would set aside 33 out of every 100 seats in law-making bodies for women.
Mr. Gandhi said his party already supported the bill and asked why it has not been put into action after three years.
The two sides disagree because the government also wants to change the number of seats in Parliament at the same time, but the opposition wants the women's quota to happen on its own.
The bill was passed in both houses of Parliament in 2023, but it still has not been put into practice.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju called Rahul Gandhi's women's empowerment video a 'positive message' but questioned whether it reflected a 'change of heart'.
Rijiju challenged Congress to support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally.
Rahul Gandhi countered that the Women's Reservation Bill 2023 was passed unanimously with full Congress support and asked why it has not been implemented after three years.
Gandhi objected to linking the bill with delimitation, demanding: 'Implement the 2023 law. Without any conditions.'
Congress and opposition parties want the 33% women's quota implemented on the current strength of Parliament, while the government links it to increasing seats through delimitation.
- Who
- Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi (Congress)
- What
- Rijiju questioned whether Rahul Gandhi's women's empowerment message marked a 'change of heart' and challenged Congress to support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally; Gandhi countered that the 2023 bill was passed unanimously and demanded its implementation without linking it to delimitation.
- Where
- New Delhi; the exchange took place on social media platform X, with Gandhi's video posted on Instagram
- When
- Saturday, August 8, 2026; Gandhi's video was posted on Friday, August 7, 2026
- Why
- Rijiju said he saw a 'visible change of heart' in Rahul Gandhi about women and hopes Congress will support the bill without conditions, while Gandhi asked why the law has still not been implemented three years after its passage.
Opposition / Congress
Government / Rijiju
Linking reservation with delimitation
Opposition / Congress
Congress and opposition parties oppose the Delimitation Bill and demand that the 33% women's quota be implemented based on the current strength of Parliament, without linking it to delimitation.
Government / Rijiju
The government wants to link the Women's Reservation Bill with delimitation and increase the number of seats in Parliament and state Assemblies to facilitate implementation of the 33% quota.
Reading of Rahul Gandhi's message
Opposition / Congress
Rahul Gandhi says the energy of India's women is trapped and that India is 'stunted and incomplete' without women's expression; he insists Congress fully supported the bill, which was passed unanimously, and questions why it has not been implemented after three years.
Government / Rijiju
Rijiju welcomed the message as 'positive' but framed it as a 'visible change of heart' in Rahul Gandhi about women, and challenged Congress to support the Women's Reservation Bill unconditionally.
Key facts
- Union Minister
- Kiren Rijiju, Parliamentary Affairs Minister
- Congress Leader
- Rahul Gandhi, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition
- Bill
- Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023
- Women's quota
- 33 per cent in legislatures
- Status
- Passed unanimously in both Houses of Parliament but not implemented
- Setback
- Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill fell in the Lok Sabha on April 17 without a two-thirds majority
- Dispute
- Government links reservation with delimitation; opposition demands it be delinked and implemented on the current strength of Parliament
- Exchange
- Rijiju posted on X on Saturday; Gandhi posted his video on Instagram on Friday
Quotes
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in the Indian government
“"Mr Rijiju, who would know better than you, as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs--that the Women’s Reservation Bill 2023 has already been passed unanimously, with the full support of the Congress. The question is, why has it still not been implemented even after three years, and why do you now want to unnecessarily link it to delimitation? Implement the 2023 law. Without any conditions."”
deccanchronicle.com
news18.com
“The energy of India's women is trapped. It is not allowed to express itself. It is not allowed to imagine. For me, no country can be successful if its women are not expressing themselves. And I think a lot of my politics, and a lot of what politics should be in this country, is about making people understand that our country is stunted and incomplete without the expression of women.”
freepressjournal.in
wionews.com
Sources
Rahul Demands Women's Reservation Implementation Without Conditions
'Visible Change of Heart in Rahul Gandhi', Rijiju Challenges Congress to Back Women's Reservation Bill Unconditionally
'Support Women's Reservation Bill Unconditionally': Rijiju's Challenge to Congress After Rahul Gandhi's Remarks | Video
'Implement 2023 law on women's reservation now, without any conditions': Rahul Gandhi responds to Rijiju's swipe










