Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar has strongly criticised what he called political posturing in the name of women’s reservation on Saturday.
He said that the ground reality for women in the state remains troubling.
In a post on X, Singhar said that in Madhya Pradesh the State Women's Commission has been functioning without a chairperson for nearly six years. He also claimed that more than 30,000 cases related to women are currently pending before the commission.
Watch the X post below :
Singhar pointed out that incidents involving crimes against women continue to surface and girls are going missing regularly. He questioned whether real concern for women’s welfare exists when basic institutions meant to protect women are not functioning effectively.
He also raised the issue of women’s political representation, saying that only 31 women represent the state among the total MPs, which he said does not reflect true empowerment. In his post, Singhar accused both the government and administration of remaining inactive while raising slogans about women’s rights.
He wrote that it is easy to do politics in the name of women’s reservation, but the government should first “set its own house in order”. Singhar added that instead of making political statements, authorities should fix the system and ensure justice for women.
About the Women's Reservation Bill
The Women's Reservation Bill is also known as the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. The bill proposes reserving 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women.
The legislation was passed in Parliament in 2023 and aims to significantly increase women’s participation in politics.
However, its implementation is expected to take place after the next delimitation exercise and census, which means the reservation may come into effect in future elections rather than immediately.
