In a major setback for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the women's quota bill failed the crucial two-step floor test on day two of the special session in Parliament.
Despite concerted efforts from PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to convince MPs to push the bill through the Lok Sabha, it failed to meet the 2/3 majority required to pass.
As a result, women MPs from the NDA carried out a protest against the Opposition at the 'Makar Dwar' premises of the Parliament building.
They added that this would be continued with a larger, nationwide protest from Saturday onwards—outside the houses of MPs belonging to the INDIA alliance.
"Mahila shakti ka apman, kathai nahi sahegi hindustan (India will not tolerate an insult to women power)," read one of the signboards carried by women NDA MPs protesting on the streets.
This comes after the BJP termed the move a setback for women's political rights in the country, while the Opposition has claimed that it was only opposed to the delimitation bill linked to the women's quota bill—and not 'Nari Shakti' in itself.
The party also plans to highlight the issue in the upcoming West Bengal and Tamil Nadu elections as the Opposition's rejection of a chance to expand seats and implement reservations by 2029.
How NDA MPs reacted to the developments
"The entire INDI alliance ... have betrayed women, broken their trust," declared BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj.
"The opposition will suffer huge losses due to this in the coming days. We do not need to protest. Half the population will oppose it themselves. We will not rest until we implement women's reservation," Union Minister and LJP MP Chirag Paswan said about the move.
"The nation's women will not forgive Rahul Gandhi and INDI alliance ... They did a huge injustice and betrayed the women of the nation," stated BJP MP Poonamben Maadam, holding up a plaque in protest of the move.
"Maybe they are not interested in you know, protecting the women or encouraging the women, and you have seen Rahul Gandhi's speech there. He called PM Modi a magician, but I can call him a joker," TDP MP Byereddy Shabari told reporters.