Shimla: A political storm erupted in Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shimla as BJP Mahila Morcha president Daisy Thakur launched a sharp attack on opposition parties for voting against a constitutional amendment aimed at fast-tracking the implementation of the women’s quota law. Calling the development a “black day in democratic history,” Thakur said the move was not just political but a direct assault on the dignity and rights of millions of women across the country.
Thakur made these remarks while addressing the Jan Aakrosh Mahila Padyatra organised in Shimla, where thousands of women gathered to protest against the opposition’s stance. The rally saw participation from senior BJP leaders, including state president Rajeev Bindal, state in-charge Shrikant Sharma, co-in-charge Sanjay Tandon, and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur.
Accusing the Congress of treating women merely as a vote bank, Thakur said the party has consistently failed to deliver real empowerment. “This is not just a political disagreement, but an attack on women’s dignity. The anger is now visible on the streets,” she said, pointing to the large turnout at the protest.
Adding to the criticism, BJP state general secretary Payal Vaidya described the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a landmark reform aimed at ensuring 33 percent reservation for women from panchayats to Parliament. She said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had convened a special session of Parliament to strengthen women’s participation in governance, but the opposition derailed the effort for political reasons.
Meanwhile, MLA Reena Kashyap accused the state government of misusing administrative machinery to disrupt the rally. She alleged that buses carrying women participants, especially from Solan and nearby areas, were deliberately stopped, delayed, or diverted in an attempt to suppress the protest. Despite these hurdles, she said, the massive participation showed that such tactics had failed.
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP state chief Rajeev Bindal said the Congress had “betrayed the women of the country.” He highlighted the strides made in women’s empowerment over the past decade under the Modi government, stating that increasing women’s participation in governance was the next logical step.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur termed the rally as the beginning of a broader political shift. He said the opposition’s stance had exposed its “anti-women mindset” and warned that women voters would respond strongly in the upcoming elections. “Women are no longer passive participants in politics; they are emerging as the driving force of change,” he asserted.
The protest in Shimla signals a growing political confrontation over the women’s reservation issue, with both sides gearing up to take the battle to the public ahead of future elections.
