BJP, NDA Allies To Hold Nationwide Protests Against INDIA Bloc For Opposing Women’s Reservation

Last Updated:April 17, 2026, 9:58 PM IST

The BJP has termed the defeat a setback to ‘Nari Shakti’, alleging that the opposition blocked a historic opportunity.

NDA leaders holding protest in Parliament

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its NDA allies are set to hold nationwide protests against the INDI alliance as the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The protests, which will be led by BJP Mahila Morcha, are to be held at all district headquarters across the country.

Women NDA MPs held a protest on the Parliament premises after the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026 failed to pass in Lok Sabha.

The move comes after the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill failed to secure passage in the Lok Sabha. The BJP has termed the defeat a setback to “Nari Shakti”, alleging that the opposition blocked a historic opportunity to ensure greater representation of women in legislatures.

The party also plans to highlight the issue prominently during upcoming elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, framing the bill’s defeat as a missed chance to expand seats and implement reservation by 2029.

Holding the protest, BJP MP Poonamben Maadam said, “It had been decided in 2023, that till the 2029 General Elections, the women’s reservation Bill will be implemented across the nation. When the government came with this Bill, INDI alliance, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, completely opposed this and stopped the Bill from passing. The nation’s women will not forgive Rahul Gandhi and INDI alliance… They did a huge injustice and betrayed the women of the nation…”

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj criticised the Congress and the INDIA alliance following the developments around the Women’s Reservation Bill, accusing them of putting political interests ahead of women’s empowerment.

“Today was supposed to be the day of fulfilling promises. It was the day to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Act; it seems that only political self-interest prevailed over the Congress party and the entire INDI alliance. They have betrayed women, broken their trust…”

According to sources, a meeting of NDA leaders chaired by leader of the house in the Rajya Sabha, JP Nadda, was also held after the bill defeat in the Lok Sabha. According to sources, leaders have been asked to run a campaign for the next three weeks.

They must address their conferences and meetings to expose the mindset of the opposition, especially the Congress. At local body levels, they must boycott the Congress and other opposition leaders, There is also a suggestion to get gherao Homes of those leaders who voted against the bill, sources said.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha on Friday as the government did not secure the required two-thirds majority. After a full day of debate, the Bill—which aimed to expand the House to 50 seats and provide 33 per cent reservation for women—received 278 votes in favour and 211 against.

Under Article 36, the amendment required a special majority of at least 326 votes (assuming 489 members present and voting), leaving the Treasury benches short of the required numbers.

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