Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary addressing a Press conference in Patna on April 19, 2026. Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui
By A Correspondent
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday termed the failure to pass the much-debated Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha as a “black day”, alleging it amounted to an insult to reservation and a betrayal of women. Launching a direct attack on opposition parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Indian National Congress, he said the episode had exposed their “anti-women mindset”.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office in Patna, the Samrat Choudhary said the opposition did not want women from poor and marginalised families to enter Parliament. “They have no objection if members of their own families become MPs, but they are unwilling to see daughters from underprivileged backgrounds rise to such positions,” he alleged.
He further targeted RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, claiming that he had earlier opposed the Bill as well. Referring indirectly to political families, Choudhary also took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, accusing the opposition of promoting dynastic politics while denying opportunities to ordinary women.
The Chief Minister said that had the Bill been passed, the number of women legislators in the Bihar Assembly could have increased from 29 to at least 122. Similarly, he noted, the total strength of Parliament could have risen to 816 seats, with 216 reserved for women. “Despite the population doubling from 70 crore to 140 crore, the number of Lok Sabha seats has remained unchanged at 543,” he pointed out.
He added that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had even proposed expanding the number of MPs to around 850, and efforts were underway in that direction. However, he alleged that opposition parties such as the Congress, RJD, DMK, TMC and SP had collectively “betrayed women” by blocking the Bill.
Choudhary said the NDA would launch a nationwide campaign to hold the opposition accountable. “We will ask when women from poor families will get representation in Parliament, while members of certain families continue to occupy top positions,” he said, describing the day as a “dark chapter in democracy”.
Highlighting past initiatives, he noted that after the NDA came to power in Bihar in 2006, 50 per cent reservation for women was introduced in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies. As a result, he said, women now account for over 59 per cent of elected representatives in these bodies across the state.
He also cited measures such as the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations and the decision to grant 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections, asserting that the NDA had consistently worked towards inclusive representation.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment, Samrat Choudhary said efforts would continue to bring women into the mainstream. He credited Prime Minister Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for consistently promoting women’s empowerment and assured that the strength of “Nari Shakti” would be enhanced under all circumstances.
Several women representatives from NDA constituent parties were present at the press conference, where they too criticised the opposition over the issue.
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