The question asks us to fill in the blank with a word that accurately describes the action of a minister who "avoided any mention of the issue of women’s reservation in the private sector." The phrase "avoided any mention" is crucial here, indicating that the minister deliberately did not address the topic directly.

Understanding the Issue

The sentence highlights a situation where a minister chose not to discuss a specific and potentially sensitive topic: women's reservation in the private sector. This act of deliberate avoidance requires a verb that conveys the idea of going around or not directly confronting an issue.

Analyzing Verb Options

• collaring: This verb means to seize or grab someone, often by the collar, or to apprehend them. For example, "The police collared the suspect." It does not relate to the act of avoiding a discussion or an issue.
• skirting: To "skirt an issue" is an idiomatic expression that means to avoid dealing with it directly, to go around it, or to bypass it. When someone skirts an issue, they discuss everything but the main point, or they simply do not bring it up at all, much like walking around the edge of something rather than crossing it. This meaning perfectly matches the minister's action of having "avoided any mention" of the topic.
• tying: This verb means to fasten, bind, or secure something with a knot or cord. For example, "tying a knot" or "tying one's shoes." It has no connection to the act of avoiding a discussion or an issue.
• belting: This verb can mean to hit something hard, to fasten with a belt, or to sing loudly. For example, "belting out a song" or "belting a punch." None of these meanings fit the context of avoiding an issue.

Why "Skirting" Fits Best

The phrase "skirting the issue" precisely captures the minister's action of deliberately not addressing the subject of women's reservation in the private sector. The minister was accused of actively bypassing or sidestepping the sensitive topic, which aligns directly with the meaning of "skirting." This choice makes the sentence grammatically correct and semantically logical, accurately reflecting the minister's avoidance.

Therefore, the most suitable word to complete the sentence is "skirting," as it accurately describes the act of avoiding a direct discussion or engagement with a particular issue.