Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed strong criticism towards the Congress party after the defeat of the women's reservation bill, describing it as a 'black stain' on the party's reputation. He emphasized that the failure of the bill, which aimed to implement reservation for women in legislatures by 2029, is a significant loss for women in India rather than just a setback for the ruling government or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Rijiju noted that the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority but only received 298 votes in favor, with 230 votes against it from the opposition. He condemned the opposition's celebration of the bill's defeat as inappropriate and warned that Congress may face the wrath of women voters for denying them their due rights. Rijiju also mentioned his attempts to engage with opposition leaders, suggesting that their lack of response contributed to the bill's failure. He concluded by thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support in advocating for women's rights.