The Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s special session on women’s reservation turned into a decisive political moment, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mounting a sharp and unapologetic offensive against the Samajwadi Party and Congress, accusing them of historically betraying women’s rights while now attempting to claim moral high ground.
The session, convened to deliberate on women’s empowerment and reservation, is expected to pass a censure motion against Opposition parties, holding them accountable for the failure to ensure the passage of the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. However, it was Adityanath’s blistering intervention that defined the tone of the day.
Yogi calls out decades of “anti-women” politics
Addressing the House, Adityanath made it clear that the debate was not merely legislative but deeply political. He accused the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of consistently opposing reforms aimed at strengthening women’s dignity, safety, and self-reliance.
In a direct political strike, he remarked that Uttar Pradesh has remained a “politically barren” ground for the Congress for the past 40 years, suggesting that the Samajwadi Party, by aligning with it, risks the same fate. He went further, stating that the Opposition stands “cursed by women” due to its track record.
The Chief Minister did not shy away from invoking uncomfortable historical truths. He referred to the Shah Bano case, accusing the Congress of sacrificing justice for Muslim women to appease clerical interests, and criticised its past stance on triple talaq. He also brought up the 1995 State Guest House incident involving Mayawati, presenting it as a stark reminder of the Samajwadi Party’s approach to women’s safety.
BJP’s governance vs Opposition’s record
Contrasting rhetoric with results, Adityanath highlighted the transformation under the BJP’s “double-engine government”. He pointed to a 26 per cent rise in female workforce participation and claimed that the state’s economy has tripled over the past nine years.
Backing his claims with data, he said murders have declined by 43 per cent, dowry harassment by 19 per cent, and rape cases by 67 per cent. According to him, Uttar Pradesh has moved away from an era when women felt unsafe even stepping outside their homes.
He also accused the Samajwadi Party of enabling criminal elements, citing the case of MLA Pooja Pal and the murder of her husband Raju Pal. The Chief Minister alleged that the Opposition has consistently failed to stand with Dalits, backward communities, and women facing violence.
SP protests fail to shift the narrative
Even as the session progressed, Samajwadi Party leaders staged a protest within the Assembly premises, holding banners demanding immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation. They accused the BJP of misleading the public and delaying the enforcement of the law passed in 2023. However, their claims struggled to counter the broader narrative shaped inside the House.
A defining political message
What unfolded in the Assembly was more than a routine legislative debate. It became a pointed reminder of competing political legacies on women’s rights in Uttar Pradesh. By combining sharp political messaging with governance claims, Yogi Adityanath positioned the BJP as the party of delivery, while framing the Opposition as inconsistent and opportunistic.
As the dust settles, the special session has reinforced a clear political line: in the battle over women’s empowerment, the BJP is determined to own both the narrative and the record.
