The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took to the streets of the State capital on Monday, launching a massive ‘Jan Akrosh Mahila Padayatra’ to protest the failure of the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. Led by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav and State BJP President Hemant Khandelwal, thousands of party workers and leaders marched to condemn the opposition’s role in stalling the legislation. The protest march commenced from the MVM College ground, passing through Lok Bhavan before culminating at the Roshanpura Square. In a symbolic gesture of protest, the Chief Minister released black balloons into the sky to mark the conclusion of the rally. Special Assembly session proposed Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Dr Yadav announced that the State Government intends to call a special session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly to pass a censure motion against the blocking of the bill. “A woman may forget many things, but she never forgets an insult,” Yadav said. He lashed out at the Congress and its allies for ‘celebrating’ the Bill’s failure, accusing them of trampling upon the rights of sisters across the nation. Targeting Congress leadership, the Chief Minister took a swipe at Priyanka Gandhi’s ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’ slogan.

 

“Where did those big words go when you were busy strangling the rights of women? This is the legacy of the Congress; even 40 years ago, Rahul Gandhi’s father snatched away women’s rights by implementing Triple Talaq,” he alleged. Call for public accountability State BJP President, Hemant Khandelwal, urged women to hold Congress leaders accountable. “Go to their houses and ask who gave them the right to shatter the dreams of the very mothers and sisters who grace their homes,” Khandelwal said. Adding to the offensive, BJP Mahila Morcha State President Ashwini Paranjpe remarked that the opposition’s celebration in Parliament was a symbol of disrespect that would be met with a fitting response from the ‘Matru Shakti’ (mother power). Leaders demand empowerment The march saw a heavy presence of women leaders, including ministers and Parliamentarians. Panchayat Raj Minister Radha Singh, who participated alongside her daughter Anjali Singh, stated it was shameful that women still have to fight for basic rights after decades of independence. Sagar MP Lata Wankhede noted that the bill was the “gateway for women to reach from Panchayat to Parliament,” which she claimed the I.N.D.I.A. bloc had deliberately slammed shut. The protest podium featured a formidable lineup of women leadership, including Ministers Krishna Gaur, Nirmala Bhuria, and Pratima Bagri, as well as Rajya Sabha MPs Kavita Patidar and Sumitra Valmiki, highlighting the party’s intent to make the stalled reservation a central political issue in the State.