Priyanka Gandhi cornered the government on the Women’s Reservation Bill issue, said – ‘Big victory for democracy, dark day for NDA’

New Delhi, 19 April. Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has termed the non-passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill related to the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha as a ‘huge victory for democracy’ and a ‘black day for the ruling NDA’.

‘Present the women’s reservation bill passed in 2023, we will fully support it’

During a press conference held at the Congress headquarters here on Saturday, a day after the Constitution Amendment Bill was defeated on the basis of two-thirds majority in the Lower House, Priyanka Gandhi demanded that the Central Government should immediately re-introduce the Women’s Reservation Bill of 2023. He said, ‘We are saying this very clearly, and we will say this from every platform, we will say this in every state, not just the Congress party, but every party in the opposition alliance INDIA will say this very clearly – bring back the 2023 law, whatever changes you want in what was passed, make it, so that it can be implemented by 2029, we will fully support it.’

‘The situation has changed for this government, it is clearly visible from their actions’

The Congress MP said, ‘The situation has changed for this government. This is clearly visible from his works. The first thing is that there is a lot of international pressure on them. Whatever steps they are taking – as my brother has said many times – I don’t think any Indian Prime Minister would have accepted the terms of the deal made with America unless there was a lot of pressure on him.

LIVE: Special Congress Party Briefing by Smt. @priyankagandhi at AICC Office, New Delhi.

— Congress (@INCIndia) April 18, 2026

Priyanka Vadra termed the failure of ‘Constitution Bill, 2026’ in the Lok Sabha as a ‘black day’ for the NDA government and urged the government to take action without any delay. He said, ‘If you really want to do something concrete, then bring back the bill which was passed unanimously in 2023 and which had the support of all parties. If you need to make some minor modifications to it so that it can be implemented now, do so and implement it now. Give women their rights – just now.

‘Women are not stupid…they see everything’

Continuing her attack on the NDA government, she said, “This is a ‘black day’ for the Center as for the first time they have got a strong blow, which they deserved. Today the problems of women are increasing rapidly. Women are not stupid. They see everything. Now that PR and media noise will not help.”

The Home Minister and the Prime Minister said in their respective speeches that

If the opposition does not agree on this issue then it will neither be able to win the elections nor will it be able to come to power. It became clear from these things what the government’s intention was.

I believe that the conspiracy hatched by the government was aimed at gaining power… pic.twitter.com/1tU0funGSO

— Congress (@INCIndia) April 18, 2026

Not against women’s reservationagainst delimitation

Priyanka Gandhi again reiterated that the opposition’s stand was not against women’s reservation, but against linking it to the processes of delimitation and census. He stressed, ‘Don’t try to mislead them by distorting the story and linking it to other things. Do it now. We are all ready.

Government’s conspiracy to weaken democracy failed

He said, ‘What happened yesterday was a huge victory for democracy. The government’s conspiracy to change the federal structure and weaken democracy failed and came to a halt. It was a victory for the Constitution, a victory for the country and a victory for the unity of the opposition. The way they have brought this bill, the things they have attached to it – like delimitation, 2011 census – it is very clear that they already knew that this bill would not be passed. They just wanted to take political credit for it.

Also accused of conspiring to remain in power forever by using women

The Congress leader also accused the Center of conspiring to remain in power forever by using women. He said, “I think it is a conspiracy, so that they can somehow remain in power… So, to fulfill this purpose they are planning how to use women to remain in power forever… They thought that if this bill is passed, they will win. And if it is not passed, then they will prove themselves as messiahs of women by calling other parties ‘anti-women’… But we know that it is so easy for women to become messiahs.” It is not.” She accused the Center of going back on its promise and said that women cannot trust this government.