Bihar Chief Minister addressing Jan Aakrosh Mahila Sammelan in Patna. Photo: Aftab Aklam Siddiqui
By A Correspondent
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Monday participated in the NDA-organised ‘Jan Aakrosh Mahila Sammelan’ held at Kargil Chowk, Gandhi Maidan, in support of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (33 per cent reservation for women) and in protest against obstacles allegedly created by opposition parties.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that thousands of women had assembled for the conference and welcomed them to Patna. He assured them that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had framed the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to secure women’s rights and would ensure its implementation.
He noted that the Centre had introduced three constitutional amendment Bills, including the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Amendment Bill. He added that the Prime Minister was committed to ensuring that women receive reservation proportionate to the current population. Choudhary stated that if elections in Bihar are held after fresh delimitation in 2029–30, at least 122 women could be elected to the State Assembly, compared to the current 29 women MLAs.
Samrat Choudhary accused opposition parties such as the Congress and RJD of betraying women by opposing the reservation Bill. He said that it was the NDA government that had ensured 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies in Bihar, resulting in over 59 per cent women representatives being elected — a reflection of democratic strength.
He further highlighted that through the Jeevika self-help groups, around 1.81 crore women in Bihar had been brought into the mainstream. Criticising opposition leaders, he alleged that they sought to limit political opportunities to women from their own families rather than extending them to women from ordinary households. He cited examples of political families, stating that while leaders’ wives and daughters had been elected to legislative bodies, the opposition was unwilling to create similar opportunities for women from poor backgrounds.
Samrat Choudhary said Prime Minister Modi aimed to ensure that at least 272 women are elected to the Lok Sabha, but alleged that opposition parties had blocked the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament.
Referring to India’s cultural traditions of revering goddesses such as Durga, Saraswati and Kali, he said the NDA, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar, and Nitin Nabin, stood united in support of women’s reservation. He asserted that women would be granted their rightful entitlements and warned that any threat to women’s safety would be dealt with firmly.
Calling upon women to take the movement forward at block and district levels, the Chief Minister urged them to spread awareness that the Modi government was committed to ensuring their representation in legislatures, while the opposition was focused on promoting family interests. He appealed to them to sustain the momentum of public protest until 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies is implemented.
The conference was also addressed by BJP state president and MLA Sanjay Saraogi.
Among those present were MP Dharmshila Gupta, MLAs Renu Devi, Jyoti Devi, Baby Kumari, Shreyasi Singh, Gayatri Devi, Chhoti Kumari, Nisha Singh, Kavita Paswan, Sangeeta Kumari, Rama Nishad, Legislative Council members Anamika Singh Patel and Nivedita Singh, and Patna Mayor Sita Sahu, along with other public representatives and a large number of women.
About the Author
