'This is democracy, not Hitler's rule': DK Shivakumar slams Centre over Constitution Amendment Bill
Apr 19, 2026
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 19 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) government in centre for holding discussions with the opposition party before introducing the Constitution 131st Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha.
He said that India was a democracy and not "Hitler's rule" while attacking the Centre for bringing the Constitution Amendment Bill, which sought to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850, amid Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The Bill was also meant to advance the implementation of women's reservation legislation.
The Deputy CM also said that women's reservation was the "baby of the Congress".
"Regarding the women's reservation bill, it is the baby of the Congress. Now this was not the time. They (the ruling party, BJP) should have discussed with the opposition party. This is democracy and not Hitler's rule. They can't bring the bill in the middle of the elections and just alter the entire constituencies. They have to take everyone into confidence," Shivakumar told reporters here.
Backing the Opposition's stance, he added, "That is why the opposition party did a good job. It is a victory of the INDIA alliance. I congratulate all the parliament members of the INDIA group who opposed it and let them discuss it in detail."
On April 17, Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha voted against the Constitution Amendment Bill.
During the three-day Special Session from April 16 to April 18, multiple leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, discussed the bill. Multiple Opposition leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress leader KC Venugopal, also participated in the discussion.
The 131st Constitution Amendment Bill to implement women's reservation failed to pass in the Lok Sabha as the INDIA bloc refused to vote in favour of the delimitation process.
The Lok Sabha took up the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill together for passing. In the division that took place on the Constitution Amendment Bill following the debate on the three bills, 298 members voted in favour and 230 against.
With the Constitution Amendment Bill defeated, the government later said it did not want to pursue the two other linked bills since they were interrelated.
