LUCKNOW, May 1 -- The special session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council on Thursday witnessed a sharp exchange between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the ruling NDA over women's empowerment and reservation. The treasury benches accused Opposition of attempting to defeat the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament, while the SP countered that it had only sought sub-quotas for OBC and minority women. The debate, held during a five-hour discussion on 'Nari Sashaktikaran', saw Leader of the House Keshav Prasad Maurya target the SP, Congress, TMC and DMK for "coming together" against the Bill. He alleged that the SP's stance was anti-women and listed initiatives undertaken by the Centre and the state government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath to promote women's empowerment. SP members said the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 had already been passed and enacted, and that the current exercise pertained to delimitation. They reiterated their demand for a quota within quota for OBCs and minority women, terming the law "incomplete" without such provisions. Post-lunch proceedings resumed with members across parties participating in the debate. The House later adopted, by voice vote, a censure motion moved by the Leader of the House condemning the conduct of those opposing women's empowerment. An ideological exchange broke out in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council after veteran Samajwadi Party MLC Rajendra Chaudhary took on the BJP over its portrayal of women, invoking a contrast between Savitri and Draupadi. Responding to remarks by Leader of the House and deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who cited Savitri among examples of Indian womanhood, Chaudhary said his party "idolises Draupadi, not Savitri," signalling a different vision of women's role in society. Chaudhary argued that while Savitri symbolises devotion to her husband and traditional ideals, Draupadi represents resistance and the courage to question injustice. A brief moment of humour broke the otherwise sharp exchanges. As minister Ashish Patel spoke at length on women's status, citing religious texts to underline the respect and equality accorded to them, some opposition members intervened, suggesting he should also take his wife's name and acknowledge her contribution. Patel initially brushed it aside with a smile, saying he takes her name several times a day at home. The House burst into laughter when even the presiding officer joined in, jokingly asking why he was avoiding doing so in the House. Responding in a lighter vein, Patel said that whatever he is today, and whatever he stated in the House, was due to "my national president Anupriya Patel ji". Anupriya Patel, who heads Apna Dal (S) and is a Union minister, is also his wife. The presiding officer lauded the minister for his well-prepared speech. A sharp exchange erupted after minister Sanjay Nishad made contentious remarks while opposing the Samajwadi Party's demand for quota within quota for Muslim women in legislative bodies. During the debate, Nishad said when the Mughals came to India, many people "wore salwar (loose trousers) out of fear of the talwar (sword)," and described the Mughals and the British as gaddar (traitors). He added that those who, according to him, sided with invaders and traitors by converting to Islam or Christianity out of fear or inducement had no right to claim reservation benefits. The remarks drew strong protests from SP members, particularly MLC Jasmir Ansari, who objected to what he termed a sweeping generalisation about an entire community. Ansari demanded that the comments be expunged from the House records, but the minister continued speaking in the same vein....