Thousands of Bengali women from organizations in Poona and Bombay also signed petitions in favor of the bill, which they "wholeheartedly supported on humanitarian grounds'. Opposition and controversy continued throughout 1883, which forced Lord Ripon to reevaluate and offer a compromise version of the bill.
Many Bengali women from groups in Poona and Bombay signed petitions supporting the bill. They did so with strong support based on humanitarian concerns. This led to ongoing opposition and debate in 1883, prompting Lord Ripon to revise the bill into a more acceptable version.