A fresh political flashpoint has emerged over the women’s reservation bill, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying the “magician has run out of tricks” and warning that young India can now “see right through him”.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha made the remarks during an interaction with students from Delhi University, where he mixed sharp criticism of the Narendra Modi-led government with a broader pitch for women’s empowerment.
“Two things are clear: 1. The magician has run out of tricks. Young India can see right through him. 2. Gen Z is our future — and Gen Z women will lead the way. It is our duty to open every door for them,” Gandhi said in a post on X after the interaction.
He added, “The future of our country is in safe hands.”
WOMEN’S BILL AND DELIMITATION CONCERNS
Gandhi revisited his criticism of the women’s reservation bill, arguing that it was less about empowerment and more about altering political equations through delimitation.
“They suddenly brought this bill and we wanted them to give one-third of the 543 existing seats to women, but they did not do that. Actually, this is not the women’s bill. It is very simple, it is delimitation,” he said.
He cautioned that any change in seat distribution without careful consideration could trigger regional tensions.
“What they want to do is reduce the number of seats in southern states and increase them in the northern Indian states if you change the number of seats in India without very carefully taking into account the consequences, you will risk war between the South and the North,” Gandhi said.
He also said that although the bill was passed in 2023 with opposition support, the government indicated it may not be implemented for 10 years.
FOCUS ON GEN Z AND WOMEN LEADERSHIP
During the discussion, Gandhi stressed that young women will play a defining role in shaping India’s future.
“For me, both males and females should have equal space. And I actually believe from experience that the effectiveness and strength of women is better than that of males. They are more effective,” he said.
“I feel that the more you empower in India, the better it is. I am more biased towards empowering women than I am towards men.”
He said political participation, corporate representation and institutional presence of women must be expanded, even if it requires “forcibly putting women inside all these structures”.
PRAISE FOR WOMEN LEADERS
Gandhi also spoke about women leaders across parties, acknowledging their political impact.
“I am an opponent of hers, but I think Mayawati ji played a very important role in UP politics she fundamentally changed the politics of Uttar Pradesh for many years,” he said.
On former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha, he added, “I think Jayalalitha ji was a phenomenal leader.”
ATTACK ON RSS
The Congress leader also criticised the RSS during the interaction, drawing parallels with colonial-era structures.
“The RSS was actually the bureaucracy of the Maharaja. The RSS was the bureaucracy of the British Colonialism always had partners, and the partners were the Maharajahs and the bureaucracy,” he said.
STUDENT INTERACTION AND TAKEAWAYS
Sharing details of the exchange later, Gandhi said the students were clear in their thinking and confident in expressing their views.
“Their views on the Women’s Reservation Bill were also clear, this is not an issue about women’s empowerment, but a means to alter the power dynamics through delimitation,” he said.
He added that the students “reject the politics of violence, hatred and patriarchy” and view politics as “unity, equality and respect”.
– Ends
Published By:
Sonali Verma
Published On:
Apr 26, 2026 22:59 IST
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