The Punjab Congress on Monday warned against the delimitation of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies across the country, saying it would reduce the proportionate share of the states like Punjab and increase that of states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The party also accused the BJP government of “sabotaging” the women reservation bill and blaming the opposition for the same.On April 17, the bill to amend the Women’s Reservation Bill failed get two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, following which two other bills, including one for delimitation and increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats, were not put to vote.Addressing a joint press conference at the Congress Bhawan here, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, AICC general secretary Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and AICC secretary Kuljeet Singh Nagra said, “It was not the women quota bill that was defeated in Parliament, but the delimitation bill. The BJP tried to stealthily bring in the delimitation bill in the guise of Women Reservation Bill, which has already been unanimously passed in Parliament in 2023.”
Regarding the delimitation, they said, “Had the bill been allowed to be passed, the government would have brought in delimitation which would have put states like Punjab and Tamil Nadu at a disadvantage while giving undue advantage to states like UP and Bihar. The proportionate share of the states like UP, Bihar and Rajasthan will increase by 1.7%, 1.2% and 1%, respectively, that of the states like Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal will decrease by 0.3%, 1%, 1% and 0.2%, respectively. The intention is to increase the proportion where the BJP is strong and reduce the proportion where it is weak.”
{{/usCountry}}Regarding the delimitation, they said, “Had the bill been allowed to be passed, the government would have brought in delimitation which would have put states like Punjab and Tamil Nadu at a disadvantage while giving undue advantage to states like UP and Bihar. The proportionate share of the states like UP, Bihar and Rajasthan will increase by 1.7%, 1.2% and 1%, respectively, that of the states like Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal will decrease by 0.3%, 1%, 1% and 0.2%, respectively. The intention is to increase the proportion where the BJP is strong and reduce the proportion where it is weak.”
{{/usCountry}}The party leaders also took a dig at Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s foreign visit, saying such tours were more like “vacation breaks” in the name of securing investment for Punjab.