NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Saturday, issuing a public apology to the women of India regarding the failure to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill. During his speech, the Prime Minister stated that despite the government’s best efforts, the legislation could not be enacted, attributing the legislative deadlock to the actions of specific political parties.
“Every citizen of this country is witnessing how the progress of our women has been stalled. Their dreams have been ruthlessly crushed,” the Prime Minister said. He emphasized that for him, the interest of the nation remains paramount, and he apologized to the mothers and sisters of the country for the inability to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Act.
The Prime Minister explicitly named the Congress, DMK, TMC, and the Samajwadi Party, accusing them of engaging in selfish politics. He alleged that these parties celebrated the obstruction of women’s reservation in Parliament. “A woman may forget many things, but she never forgets an insult,” the Prime Minister remarked, asserting that women would remember these actions when they see these leaders in their respective regions.
Describing the opposition’s stance as a “sin,” the Prime Minister claimed that the move was not intended to take rights away from anyone, but to empower all. He stated that the amendment was a long-overdue effort to grant women their rights ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. He further accused the opposition of having “committed feticide” against the bill in the House.
Addressing the controversy surrounding the delimitation process, the Prime Minister dismissed the claims made by the Congress and its allies as falsehoods. He reiterated that the government has consistently clarified that delimitation would not alter the proportional representation of any state.
“The Congress has inherited the ‘divide and rule’ policy from the British and continues to operate on the same lines,” the Prime Minister alleged. He concluded by asserting that the opposition would eventually face consequences from the public for their opposition to the bill, which he described as a necessary amendment to strengthen the voice of every state in Parliament.
