Politics has heated up over the issue of women’s reservation. On Friday, statewide protest demonstrations were held across several districts of Bihar following a call by CPI(ML) and the All India Progressive Women’s Association. In the state capital Patna, a march from GPO Golambar to Buddha Smriti Park turned into a large public gathering, where a strong demand was raised for the immediate implementation of women’s reservation.
The protest was led by AIPWA General Secretary Meena Tiwari along with several prominent leaders. Participants in the march raised slogans such as “Implement women’s reservation immediately,” “Ensure adequate representation for Dalit and backward women,” and “Complete and implement the caste census.” Similar programs were organized in districts including Ara, Arwal, Darbhanga, Siwan, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad, Bihar Sharif, and Gopalganj.
Addressing the gathering, speakers alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party is spreading misleading propaganda among the public regarding women’s reservation. They stated that the women’s reservation bill had already been passed by Parliament in September 2023, yet its implementation is being delayed. They clarified that the bill which recently failed was related to delimitation, not women’s reservation.
Speakers also questioned why delimitation and a fresh census are being made mandatory conditions for implementing women’s reservation. According to them, the process is being deliberately prolonged for political gain. They argued that historically, reservation has never been made conditional upon increasing the number of seats.
The gathering also strongly criticized the censure motion brought against the opposition in the Bihar Assembly. Speakers described it as an attempt to weaken democratic traditions and suppress the voice of the opposition. They alleged that such steps are being taken to divert attention from real issues such as women’s reservation, social justice, unemployment, and rising prices.
The demand for “quota within quota” was also raised prominently. Speakers emphasized that without ensuring real participation of Dalit and backward women, women’s reservation would remain incomplete.
At the end of the program, leaders announced that a large-scale campaign would be launched across the state to expose the alleged misleading propaganda of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Strategies have been planned to reach people with accurate information through street-corner meetings from block headquarters to villages and public squares.
