Not acceptable: Rahul to Rijiju on delimitation bill, seeks Amit Shah statement

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has conveyed to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju that the proposed delimitation bill is "not acceptable" to the Opposition and instead sought a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the NEET protest crackdown, sources said on Thursday.According to the sources, the Congress leader also questioned the Centre's decision to hold separate consultations with political parties on the issue and urged the government to instead convene an all-party meeting if it was serious about building consensus.Rijiju met Gandhi on Wednesday as part of the government's outreach to opposition parties over its renewed push to bring back the Constitution Amendment Bill linked to delimitation and the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures before the 2029 general elections.According to the Congress sources, he told Rijiju that the Opposition wanted a statement from Shah on the police action against students during the July 2020 Jantar Mantar agitation against the NEET paper leak, as well as a discussion on the Ram Temple donation theft. The nearly 50-minute meeting came as the government stepped up efforts to secure support for reintroducing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill after its earlier version failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in Parliament earlier this year.The proposed legislation seeks to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats and facilitate the implementation of the women's reservation law through a fresh delimitation exercise. The government is also considering modifications to address concerns raised by southern states over the possible impact of population-based seat redistribution.Apart from Gandhi, the Centre is expected to reach out to other opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and the DMK leadership, in an attempt to build consensus.The Monsoon Session has witnessed repeated disruptions, with opposition parties demanding a discussion on the NEET paper leak, police action against protesting students and the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.The government, meanwhile, is exploring whether sufficient political support exists to reintroduce the delimitation legislation before the session concludes on August 13.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Aug 6, 2026 14:47 IST