The North News
New Delhi, April 13
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has criticized the central government over its decision to convene a special sitting of Parliament, stating that the core issue is delimitation, not women’s reservation. In a published article, she alleged that the reported delimitation proposal is extremely dangerous and amounts to an assault on the Constitution, while also accusing the government of rushing major decisions and attempting to influence the debate on the caste census.
Sonia Gandhi said any exercise related to delimitation that increases the strength of the Lok Sabha must be guided by political balance, not just numerical calculations. She argued that the proposed approach raises serious concerns for federal fairness and representation of states.
She also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is attempting to delay and weaken the process of caste-based census. According to her, the urgency around the special sitting of Parliament appears aimed at gaining political advantage and placing the Opposition under pressure.
In her article, Gandhi claimed the government is promoting legislation in a way that bypasses wider consultation. She said Opposition parties had repeatedly sought an all-party meeting after the ongoing election phase, but those requests were not accepted.
She also referred to the women’s reservation law passed in 2023, stating that its implementation is linked to the census and delimitation process. She questioned the delay in execution and asked why changes related to the timeline were being considered after a long gap.
Gandhi further alleged that the government’s handling of the census process has been delayed, which she said has also affected the delivery of welfare entitlements linked to population data.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also shared her article, highlighting concerns over what he described as risks associated with a rushed delimitation process.
Parliament is scheduled to hold a special sitting from April 16 to 18, during which amendments to the women’s reservation law are expected to be discussed. The issue of delimitation and the timing of the caste census are likely to remain central points of political debate in the coming days.
