Guntur: The BJP Mahila Morcha, Yuva Morcha and the NDA alliance jointly organised a "Praja Akrosh Mahila Yatra" (Women's Protest March) in Guntur on Sunday, demanding that opposition parties be held accountable for allegedly blocking the implementation of the 33 per cent Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament. The protest rally marched from Shankar Vilas Centre to the Ambedkar statue, drawing a sizeable turnout of women participants and party workers.

Addressing the rally, district president Cherukuri Tirupathi Rao alleged that the INDIA bloc had done a disservice to women out of fear that reservations in legislative bodies would erode their own political standing. He warned that women across the country would give the opposition an appropriate response in the days to come.

Mahila Morcha district president Dr. Radha Madhavi said it was deeply unfortunate that the INDIA bloc continued to sideline women in political representation. She noted that the Central government had been taking measures to ensure the economic empowerment of women from birth to old age through various welfare schemes, and called it deplorable that the Women's Reservation Bill — aimed at providing political opportunities as well — was being obstructed.

District Yuva Morcha president Yashwant said it was heartening to see women across the country, cutting across party lines, coming out to protest against the stance of the Congress and the INDIA bloc.

Mahila Morcha state general secretary Naddi Nagamalleswari Yadav asserted that 33 per cent reservation was a rightful entitlement of women. She said the party would intensify protest marches against the Congress alliance in the future and pledged to take the core objectives of the Women's Reservation Bill to every woman in the state, while exposing what she described as the INDIA bloc's anti-women actions before society at large.

Among those who participated were Mahila Morcha state secretary Hari Pavani, Mirchi Yard director Sravana Kumari, district vice-president Mantri Suguna, Vimala Devi, Yuva Morcha leaders Sridurga and Swapna, Mahila Morcha leaders Dr. Sravanthi, Padmaja and Swati Swapna, TDP leader Kalpana, BJP state leaders Eedara Srinivas Reddy, Velagaleti Gangadhar, Kokkera Srinivas Yadav, Charaka Kumar Goud and Mekala Lakshman, along with several district leaders and functionaries.