The streets of Lucknow witnessed a rare sight on Tuesday, when the entire BJP machinery in the state hit the streets as they led a march on foot to protest against the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha.
With a saffron scarf tied around his head to beat the heat, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accompanied by his Cabinet ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, MLAs and also chiefs of NDA allies — Apna Dal, NISHAD party and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party — led the 20-minute ‘Jan Akrosh Mahila Padyatra’ from the CM’s official residence at 5, Kalidas Marg, to the Vidhan Sabha.
Addressing a gathering outside the Assembly, along with BJP State President Pankaj Chaudhary, the CM referred to Congress and Samajwadi Party as “mahila virodhi (anti-women)” and their act as “undemocratic”.
“Congress ho ya Samajwadi Party, inka chehra aloktantrik hai, inke kritya mahila virodhi hain (Be it Congress or the Samajwadi Party, their character is undemocratic and their actions are anti-women)”, he said. The protest site, meanwhile, witnessed a strong display of political messaging against one party in particular. (Express Photo/Vishal Srivastav)
The government’s Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to implement women’s quota and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated in the Lower House last Friday.
Before the march began, Deputy CMs Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya gave a call to vote against those who are against women in 2027 Assembly polls.
“Lambi baat nahi karna hai, Samajwadi Party ka supra saaf karna hai. 2027 mein bina mahilaon ke koi chunao jeet sakta hai. Agar mahilaon ko arakshan nahi to SP, Congress ko vote nahi (We don’t need long discussions — the Samajwadi Party must be wiped out. No one can win the 2027 elections without women. If there is no reservation for women, then don’t vote for the SP or the Congress),”
— said Maurya.
The protest site, meanwhile, witnessed a strong display of political messaging against one party in particular. Women and men reached Kalidas Marg carrying placards with slogans, which largely targeted the SP and accused it of being opposed to women’s rights and empowerment.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath along with Deputy CMs Brijesh Pathak and Keshav Maurya and state BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary at the ‘Jan Akrosh Mahila Padyatra’ in Lucknow on Tuesday. (Express Photo/Vishal Srivastav)
The gathering raised slogans of ‘SaPa ki pehchan, nari shakti ka apman (The identity of SP is disrespecting women)’; ‘SP ka haath nari shakti ke khilaf, janta nahi karegi maaf (The Samajwadi Party stands against women’s power, and the public will not forgive it)’; ‘Mahilaon ke adhikar ki jab bari aayi, SP hai ghabrai (When the time came to ensure women’s rights, the Samajwadi Party got nervous).”
Back at the Vidhan Sabha, the CM, referring to the Opposition, said, “Prime Minister Modi gave them an opportunity to shed their anti-women image… a path was paved for 33% reservation for women, but the Opposition’s conduct has been against women’s dignity.”
He said under leadership of Modi, the Centre and State governments have launched several schemes for women: that the Swachh Bharat Mission is not just about cleanliness, but also about protecting women’s dignity or how the Ujjwala scheme is not just about fuel supply, but also a foundation for self-reliance and protection of women’s health.
On Friday, the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, which sought to advance reservation of 33 per cent seats for women in an expanded Lok Sabha and state Assemblies and facilitate delimitation of the constituencies, failed to clear the House due to lack of two-thirds majority needed for its passage. This was the first time a Bill under the Narendra Modi government was defeated in Parliament.
Hitting out at the BJP for targeting the Opposition, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav Sunday had said his party’s objections stemmed from concerns over “haste” in carrying out the delimitation exercise in the absence of a caste census. Saying that the SP supported the women’s reservation in principle, he said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre had “no right to remain in power” after their Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha.
