Raksha Khadse, Bansuri Swaraj Detained During BJP March To Rahul Gandhi’s House Over Women’s Quota Bill

The political fallout from the failure of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha intensified in the national capital on Saturday, with Union minister Raksha Khadse and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj being detained by Delhi Police during a protest march towards Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's residence. The march came amid sharp exchanges between the BJP and the Opposition over the defeat of the proposed women's quota legislation in Parliament.

Delhi Protest Escalates After Bill's Defeat

The protest was organised by BJP leaders and workers a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to secure passage in the Lok Sabha, triggering a fresh political confrontation over women's reservation. As BJP MPs and supporters attempted to march towards Rahul Gandhi's residence in Delhi, police stepped in and detained several leaders, including Union minister Raksha Khadse and BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj.

The protest underlined the BJP's effort to place the blame for the bill's defeat squarely on the Opposition, while also turning the issue into a broader political campaign in the capital.

Rekha Gupta Wears Black Armband, Calls It A "Painful" Setback

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta also publicly registered her protest over the bill's non-passage by wearing a black armband at a summit in New Delhi. She described the development as a "painful" moment and launched a strong attack on Opposition parties, accusing them of blocking the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Her symbolic protest added to the BJP's messaging that the defeat of the proposed Mahila Shakti Amendment Bill was not just a legislative setback, but a political statement by rival parties against women's representation.

Priyanka Gandhi Says Opposition Backed Women's Reservation In Principle

The Congress, however, pushed back against the BJP's accusations and sought to frame the failed bill differently. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi accused the Centre of trying to alter the federal structure of the country "in the garb of women's reservation".

She further claimed that the bill's defeat in the Lok Sabha marked a political win for the Opposition, saying it was a victory of opposition unity.

At a press conference in Delhi, Priyanka stressed that the Opposition was not opposed to reservation for women as a principle. She said the Congress and other Opposition parties would support the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, if the Centre chose to implement it based on the current strength of the Lok Sabha.

Women's Quota Bill Turns Into Fresh BJP vs Opposition Flashpoint

The developments have turned the failed women's reservation bill into the latest flashpoint between the BJP-led Centre and Opposition parties. While the BJP has accused the Opposition of preventing a landmark reform aimed at expanding women's representation in Parliament, the Congress has argued that the government's version of the proposal was tied to a larger political design.

With BJP leaders taking the protest directly to Rahul Gandhi's doorstep and senior figures such as Rekha Gupta and Raksha Khadse joining the political offensive, the issue is now likely to remain at the centre of the national debate in the coming days.