'Dreams crushed, rights snatched': PM Modi attacks Opposition over women's quota Bill defeat

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday apologised to women across the country after the women’s reservation Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha, and sharply criticised opposition parties for blocking the measure.

In his address to the nation at 8.30 pm, Modi said he was speaking on an issue “especially for the women of this country,” adding that “every citizen of this country is witnessing how women’s progress has stalled.” “Despite our best efforts, we have not succeeded. Amendments could not be made in the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam. I apologise to all the mothers and women of the nation for this,” he said.

“I seek forgiveness from all women of the country,” Modi added, saying “every citizen of India is watching how dreams of our women have been crushed.” He said that while the government prioritises national welfare, “when political benefit becomes the priority for some people, even bigger than the nation’s welfare, the women of the country have to bear the burden.”

Targeting opposition parties, he said, “The country’s ‘Nari Shakti’ had to bear the burden of the selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party.”

Modi further alleged that opposition leaders celebrated the Bill’s defeat. “I was deeply saddened to see that when this proposal for women’s welfare was defeated, dynastic parties were clapping with joy. These people were thumping the table after snatching away women’s rights,” he said.

“This was an attack on women’s self-respect and self-esteem. Women may forget everything, but they never forget their own insults. The pain of the behaviour of the Congress and its allies in Parliament will remain in every woman’s heart,” he added.

He also said that women across the country would remember the incident. “Whenever women see these leaders in their constituencies, they will remember that these same people celebrated when women’s reservation was blocked in Parliament,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he had hoped the Congress would “rectify its decades-old mistake” and support the Bill. “But Congress lost the opportunity to script history and stand in support of women,” he said. He further alleged that Congress has weakened across the country and “like a parasite, piggybacks on regional parties to stay alive,” while also trying to prevent them from growing stronger. He accused the party of orchestrating a “political conspiracy” by pushing regional parties to oppose the amendment.

The address came a day after opposition parties voted against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. The Bill proposed increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 to operationalise women’s reservation ahead of the 2029 parliamentary elections, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. It also proposed increasing seats in state and Union Territory assemblies to provide 33 per cent reservation for women.

A two-thirds majority was required for the Bill to pass, but the ruling BJP-led alliance fell short.

During voting in the Lok Sabha on Friday night, 298 members supported the Bill, while 230 opposed it. Of the 528 members who voted, the Bill needed 352 votes to secure a two-thirds majority.