Lucknow: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday organised a ‘Jan Aakrosh Mahila Padyatra’ in the state capital after the Women’s Reservation Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, turning the issue into a fresh political flashpoint in Uttar Pradesh.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led the march, walking alongside thousands of women participants under the afternoon sun. Party leaders claimed that around 15,000 women joined the padyatra, which began from the Chief Minister’s residence and culminated at the Vidhan Sabha after covering a distance of nearly 2 km.
Senior BJP leaders, including both deputy chief ministers and state party president Pankaj Chaudhary, took part in the march. Addressing the gathering, Chaudhary accused the Samajwadi Party and Congress of harming a majority of women due to what he described as appeasement politics. He said there was deep anger among women against the opposition.
Adityanath also targeted opposition parties, alleging that both the Samajwadi Party and Congress had a history of being anti women. He said the turnout in extreme heat reflected the resentment among women voters. The Chief Minister added that the movement would continue beyond the state capital, with plans to take it to booth, block and district levels.
The rally saw arrangements such as drinking water points and ambulances in view of the heat. Women participants raised slogans against Rahul Gandhi and in support of the BJP. Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi, addressing the gathering, criticised the opposition and said reservation for women cannot be decided on the basis of caste.
Leaders of allied parties, including Om Prakash Rajbhar and Ashish Patel, were also present, with political observers viewing the event as a show of strength by the ruling party.
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Hours later, the main opposition Samajwadi Party responded with a press conference. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at the BJP, questioning the need for such a march. He remarked on the padyatra being held in intense heat and said it was unusual for a government to campaign so aggressively over its own bill.
Yadav claimed that the Women’s Reservation Bill had already been passed earlier and alleged that the BJP’s intent was divisive. He said that instead of reservation, there was a greater need for protection and accused the ruling party of attempting to create divisions for political gain.
The exchange highlights how the women’s reservation issue has quickly escalated into a key political battleground in Uttar Pradesh, with both the ruling BJP and the opposition seeking to mobilise women voters ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
