Actress Rupali Ganguly strongly reacted to the Women’s Reservation Bill failing to pass in the Lok Sabha. On Sunday (April 19), she shared an emotional video to slam the Opposition. Known for her powerful portrayal in the popular show Anupamaa, the actress appeared visibly teary-eyed as she voiced her disappointment, echoing the fierce, outspoken spirit of her on-screen character.
In the video, Rupali said, "A country where Mother Durga is worshipped, where we consider women as power, where there is a woman in every house, who takes care of the whole family alone...in that country, for the past 30 years, a women's reservation bill is pending."
She further added, "That bill only said that, in the parliament, one seat out of every three should be for women. This bill has been stuck for the past 30 years. So many promises were made. Speeches on women empowerment were given. Candle marches were held. Women's Day posts were made. And then, when it was time to give just one vote, some people turned their backs very easily. 298 people stood up for it. And 230 people said, no."
Expressing her anguish, she continued, "They didn't want us women to come to the Parliament. This wasn't just a bill. This was our right. And they raised their hands and so easily rejected our right. Yes. I am an actress. People say that I am dramatic. But this is a real-life drama happening with us. No matter what religion we belong to, we are women. And in this drama, we are the audience."
She concluded her emotional appeal by saying, "I really don't understand this. But I do know this much, that there are 70 crore women in this country. And every one of them, whether they are at home, office, or in the fields, they know what happened to them. We are women. We don't forget. And neither do we forgive so easily. We waited 30 years and you didn't give us our rights. Now, it's our turn to answer. Jai Hind."
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, linked to women’s reservation, required a two-thirds majority of 352 votes in the 543-member Lok Sabha. However, it secured 298 votes in favour, while 230 MPs opposed it, leading to its failure. Following this, the government chose not to proceed with voting on the Delimitation Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, stating they were tied to the same legislation.
Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the opposition for blocking the bill, calling it a “big mistake” and warning of political consequences. He also stated that women across the country would not forgive those responsible for its defeat.
Meanwhile, the Congress-led opposition maintained that while it supports women’s reservation, it raised concerns about the implementation process. The opposition alleged that the government was attempting to use the bill as a cover for delimitation, which could potentially redraw India’s electoral boundaries.
