In New Delhi, on March 27, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, criticized opposition leaders for not taking the issue of women's reservation seriously. He argued that instead of simply writing letters to the government, they should engage in discussions about the proposed changes to the law.
Rijiju emphasized that a meeting involving all political parties had been held, assuring the opposition that the government was consulting with them before making any decisions regarding the bill.
This statement came after Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised concerns about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's assertion regarding convening an all-party meeting to discuss amending the women's quota law.
Ramesh stated that while a meeting was held, it was not a comprehensive all-party meeting. He clarified that the Congress party and other opposition parties were demanding such a meeting due to the ongoing elections in five states.
In response, Rijiju asserted that a meeting with political parties had indeed taken place. He stated that the government intended to consult with all parties on the women's reservation bill.
Rijiju urged the Congress party not to dictate the government's process of consultation. He pointed out that the Congress was the only party that was not actively engaging and instead demanding an all-party meeting.
During the discussion on The Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2026 and The Finance Bill, 2026, Sitharaman mentioned that an all-party meeting was held concerning the women's reservation bill, with many leaders participating.
Rijiju clarified that a meeting involving political parties had indeed been held, including a meeting with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parties. He also stated that meetings were held with other opposition parties, including DMK's Wilson.
He reiterated that the government was not taking any action on the bill without consulting the opposition. He urged the opposition to avoid misleading the House.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had written a letter to Rijiju, questioning the government's urgency in amending the women's quota law.
In her response to the bills in the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman mentioned that an all-party meeting was held with the leaders.
Sitharaman clarified that while many leaders participated, not all parties were present. She emphasized that the women's reservation bill was discussed with all parties.
She also addressed the concerns raised by DMK regarding a reduction in the gender budget.
Sitharaman clarified that the overall allocation under the gender budget had actually increased from Rs 4.49 lakh crore in 2025-26 BE to Rs 5.02 lakh crore in BE 2026-27.
Highlighting the situation in Tamil Nadu, she cited a study by a Madurai-based NGO, which showed a steep rise of 40 per cent in crimes against women in the DMK-ruled state.
She urged the opposition not to shed crocodile tears about the reduction in the gender budget, emphasizing that the situation in Tamil Nadu was serious.