Women Reservation Bill: Amit Shah Issues Clarification, Dismisses Fears On South Representation

New Delhi: During the discussion on women's reservation bill in the Lok Sabha, following the speech by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that certain points raised require clarification to ensure that no confusion remains in the public mind.

"A narrative is being constructed suggesting that, with the introduction of these three bills, the South's influence in the Lok Sabha will diminish significantly. It is being claimed that our southern states will suffer a massive loss," Amit Shah stated.

What Was Clarification on the Representation of Southern States?

He explained that there are currently 543 MPs in the House. Approximately 15 percent of these MPs hail from Karnataka. Following the constitutional amendment, the number of MPs from Karnataka will rise from 28 to 42. Andhra Pradesh currently holds 25 seats, representing a share of 4.60 percent; its seat count will increase to 38, and its share will rise to 4.65 percent.

"The presence of MPs from Telangana stands at 3.13 percent, and their share is 3.18 percent. I assert that your power will not diminish; rather, it will increase. Tamil Nadu's current share is 7.18 percent, which will rise to 7.23 percent. Kerala's share will shift from 3.68 percent to 3.67 percent. Regarding this 'Southern narrative'—out of the 543 MPs in the House, 129 currently represent the South, constituting a share of 23.76 percent. In the future, 150 MPs will represent the South, bringing their share of the House to 23.97 percent," Amit Shah stated.

"As the Minister piloting this bill, when I make this statement to the House, I do so with full responsibility. I—Amit Shah, the Home Minister of India—am making this assertion. Tomorrow, when I provide a detailed response, I will elaborate further—provided, of course, that they (the Opposition) do not stage a walkout. I will explain it to them just as one would explain things to kindergarten children," he added.

Was Stance on Caste Census Also Clarified?

Amit Shah further added that some members are alleging that the government does not wish to conduct a caste census. "I declare that we have already taken a decision on this matter, and the caste census will take place. A misconception is being propagated that the ongoing census does not include a mention of caste. Currently, the counting of buildings is underway; since buildings do not possess a caste identity, they are being counted as such. It is human beings who possess a caste identity; therefore, when the census for the human population is conducted, we will carry out a caste-based census," he said.

"The figure of 850 has been arrived at as follows: if a 33 percent reservation is to be granted to women—our 'Matrushakti' (maternal force)—then the current strength of 543 members will be increased by 50 percent, and 33 percent of this expanded strength will be reserved for women, with only women candidates contesting for these seats."

What Was Clarification on the Delimitation Commission?

He stated that while it may not be explicitly written in the Bill, he was willing to take the time to read out the entire text. Critics are alleging that the government intends to pack the Delimitation Commission with its own appointees.

"However, we wish to clarify that we have not introduced any changes to the Delimitation Commission. The very laws regarding delimitation that were enacted by *you* remain in force. Even if you had previously made any alterations or manipulations to these laws, we are certainly not doing so now," he said.

"Elections are currently being held in West Bengal. I wish to make it clear that the report of the Delimitation Commission will come into effect only after it has been approved by Parliament. Even the elections scheduled to be held up until 2029 will be conducted under the existing framework. Akhilesh ji, too, has no need to fear. Although he will not win, he certainly has no reason to be afraid," he added.

"Some people are claiming that we are undertaking these changes solely out of a lust for power. I ask: who possesses the capability to manipulate the mandate of 1.3 billion people? You have overestimated the extent of our powers. As for the allegation that we are seeking to dismantle democracy—let me state that no one possesses the power to eradicate democracy from this country. Those who attempted to do so during the Emergency were themselves ousted by the public, yet democracy in India remained intact."