Shimla

Bharatiya Janata Party Mahila Morcha organised a protest march in Shimla against opposition parties for voting against a constitutional amendment bill aimed at speeding up implementation of the women’s quota law.

State Mahila Morcha president Daisy Thakur described the bill’s defeat as a “black day in democratic history” and accused the Indian National Congress of using women as a vote bank while denying them genuine empowerment.

She said the issue was not merely political but related to the dignity and rights of millions of women.

Thousands of women reportedly joined the Jan Aakrosh Mahila Padyatra, led by Daisy Thakur, in the presence of BJP state president Rajeev Bindal, state in-charge Shrikant Sharma, co-in-charge Sanjay Tandon and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur.

BJP state general secretary Payal Vaidya said the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was a landmark initiative intended to provide 33 per cent reservation for women from local bodies to Parliament. She alleged that Congress and its allies blocked the opportunity for political reasons.

MLA Reena Kashyap accused the state government of trying to obstruct the rally by delaying and diverting buses carrying women participants, especially from Solan and nearby areas.

Rajeev Bindal said women had advanced socially, economically and educationally over the past decade and should now have greater representation in governance.

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Jai Ram Thakur said the protest reflected a wider political awakening and claimed women would respond democratically in the next elections.