Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress President Mira Borthakur Goswami on Monday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, alleging that the ruling party was spreading “false narratives” to mislead the public.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Borthakur said the BJP was attempting to portray the opposition as anti-women while deflecting attention from delays in enforcing the legislation passed in 2023.
She questioned why the law has not yet been implemented and criticised the Centre for linking its rollout to the delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Using a metaphor, Borthakur said the BJP behaves like “a snake that bites and a charmer that heals”, adding that people have begun to understand what she described as the party’s strategy.
She maintained that the Congress has a long-standing record of promoting women’s empowerment and reiterated the party’s support for immediate implementation of 33% reservation for women without additional conditions. She also cited candidate selection figures to claim that the Congress has fielded more women candidates than the BJP in recent elections.
Borthakur further criticised the BJP over issues related to women’s safety and rights, alleging a gap between its claims and actions.
Referring to statements by leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi and Priyanka Gandhi, she said the opposition remained open to implementing the bill based on the current strength of the Lok Sabha.
She urged people not to be influenced by what she termed political propaganda and asserted that the Congress would continue to advocate for women’s rights.