AMARAVATI, April 18: Describing the Opposition's stance as a black day for Indian democracy, BJP national leader and State Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party for voting against the Women's Reservation Bill and the Delimitation legislation in Parliament, asserting that both moves reflected a deliberate attempt to deny justice to women and marginalised communities.

"Opposing 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies is nothing short of obstructing the future of this nation," Mr. Yadav said in a statement issued late Friday evening. "This is a dark day for democracy."

The Minister did not spare the Congress on its track record, pointing out that the party had neither advanced the Women's Reservation Bill when in power nor supported it in Opposition. "This is the Congress and company brand of women's empowerment — block it in government, block it in Opposition," he said sharply.

Mr. Yadav argued that opposing the Bill amounted to denying women from ordinary families their rightful place in politics. "It is a direct assault on the rights of sisters and daughters of this country. The women of India and the people of this nation will not forgive the Opposition for this," he said.

Delimitation will reduce southern seats if based on 2023 figures, says Minister

Turning to the Delimitation issue, Mr. Yadav contended that opposing the Bills was tantamount to blocking the political advancement of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Drawing comparisons with established democracies, he noted that representation ratios abroad were far lower — one Lok Sabha member for every one lakh voters in London, 1.1 lakh in France and Germany, 1.2 lakh in Canada, 1.7 lakh in Australia, 2.7 lakh in Japan, and 7.7 lakh in the United States. In India, by contrast, a single Lok Sabha member represents as many as 27 lakh constituents, he pointed out.

Mr. Yadav acknowledged that conducting delimitation on the basis of 2023 population figures would result in a reduction of existing seats in southern States, with the exercise due in 2026. He maintained, however, that the Central government had taken appropriate steps in this regard, and that the Opposition's attempts to obstruct the process were both unwise and indefensible.

"It is deeply unfortunate that the very parties claiming to champion federal principles are standing in the way of a constitutionally mandated exercise," he said.