'Opposition in LS chose politics over progress': Suresh Gopi on Constitution Amendment Bill defeat

Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi has accused the Congress-led opposition in the Lok Sabha of choosing politics over progress by voting against the Constitution Amendment Bill, which aimed to implement reservation for women in legislatures in 2029.

The Bill also sought to increase the seats in the Lok Sabha, from the existing 543 to 816, to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.

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In an emotional post on Facebook, Gopi, the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism, said it was not just a bill, but the aspirations of millions of Indian women that were defeated.

"The light we sought for our mothers and sisters has been momentarily dimmed, but it cannot be extinguished. I stand before you today with a heart heavy with despair.

"To see a vision for true empowerment-the Women's Reservation Bill-fall in the Lok Sabha at the hands of those who chose politics over progress is a wound that goes deep. It wasn't just a bill that was defeated; it was the aspirations of millions of Indian women," he said in his post.

He also quoted a famous line from the movie 'Shawshank Redemption' -- 'Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies' -- to state that it was only a temporary setback.

"My intent is soulful, my resolve is absolute. While some may have blocked the path today, they cannot block the future.

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"We will find a way. We will have justice. We will have our day. Keep the hope alive. The journey continues," he added in his post.

While 298 members voted in support of the Bill, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the Bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.