It’s time women are seen as lawmakers, say women MPs

Women parliamentarians across party lines on Thursday (April 16, 2026), weighing in on the debate on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, and those bringing in delimitation in the States and Union Territories, while endorsing their party line, cited, in several instances, the positive role of the male founders and leaders of their parties in enabling the participation of women in jobs, education, and politics.

Byreddy Shabari of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance,  invoked the legacy of the party’s founder N.T. Rama Rao (NTR) to argue that the idea of women-led development was not new. “In a country ruled by a woman Prime Minister, Indira, is it not a disgrace that women aren’t safe?” she said, quoting NTR. She described this as “the beginning of a vision for women-led development”, adding that her party “calls every woman its sister” and “converts ordinary women into Narayani”.