Video: UP CM joins women's reservation bill protest in Lucknow, attacks opposition

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday launched a sharp political offensive against the Opposition, joining and spearheading the "Jan Aakrosh Mahila Padyatra" protest march in Lucknow. This comes days after key legislation providing for 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state Assemblies collapsed in the Lok Sabha as the Opposition did not support the bill.

The padyatra (march) was organised to protest the non-passage of the amendment, which was aimed at enabling the implementation of the women’s reservation framework under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

The march sought to mobilise support for women’s rights, dignity, and empowerment, while also targeting the Opposition’s stance on the legislation.

Yogi Adityanath personally led the demonstration in the state capital around 9 am, joined by members of his Cabinet, as part of a broader statewide campaign launched by the Uttar Pradesh government.

"Be it the Congress or the Samajwadi Party, their true nature is undemocratic, and their actions are anti-women. They attempted to blatantly misuse the opportunity that PM Modi had offered them to redeem their anti-women image. Consequently, today, the 'other half' of the population across the country has taken to the streets to protest against the anti-women conduct of the Congress and its allies," he said after the protest.

The initiative is designed to project women’s reservation as the "right of the other half of the population" and to build momentum from the grassroots level.

According to officials, a series of programmes will now be conducted across the state — from block levels to district headquarters — to expand outreach.

Women’s groups, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and social organisations are being roped in to transform the campaign into a mass movement.

The protest comes days after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha.

Of the 528 members who voted, 298 supported the bill while 230 opposed it, falling short of the required 352 votes.

The proposed amendment aimed to fast-track reservation for women by linking them with delimitation based on the last published Census in 2011, a move that drew strong objections from Opposition parties.

The bill was part of a special parliamentary session held between April 16 and 18 to consider amendments to the women’s reservation law.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition defeated the bill, alleging it sought to alter the electoral structure rather than empower women. His sister and Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi called the outcome a democratic victory, questioning the government’s intent behind the legislation.

The ruling BJP, however, maintained that the legislation is crucial for ensuring adequate representation of women in legislatures.

Meanwhile, the campaign led by Adityanath is expected to intensify in the coming days, with door-to-door outreach, rallies, and public meetings planned across Uttar Pradesh to counter the Opposition narrative and build public pressure on the issue.

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With ANI inputs