PM Modi slams opposition, apologises to women for bill's defeat
NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a fiery attack on opposition for defeating the proposed amendments to “women’s reservation law,” as he accused them of committing “bhrun hatya” (feticide) in Parliament by scuttling his govt’s “honest attempts” for rollout of 33% quota for women by 2029 and increase in the Lok Sabha seats of every state by 50%.
“Women will never forgive you for this sin,” he said in an address to the nation and affirmed that it is only a matter of time before women are given their rightful share in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. “I assure every woman that we will remove each obstacle that comes in the way of women's reservation,” he said.
He began his impassioned 30-minute speech by apologising to women for his govt’s inability to get the bill to amend women’s reservation law passed despite utmost efforts. Asserting that those who defeated the bill thwarted the rise of women and smothered their aspirations, Modi said, “I apologise to my mothers and sisters.”
Soon, he switched gears to slam opposition, especially Congress , Trinamool Congress, SP and DMK , four parties he named for spreading lies to mislead people over the proposed amendments’ intent. They ended up unmasking themselves before the country, he said. PM Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a fiery attack on opposition for defeating the proposed amendments to “women’s reservation law,” as he accused them of committing “bhrun hatya” (feticide) in Parliament by scuttling his govt’s “honest attempts” for rollout of 33% quota for women by 2029 and increase in the Lok Sabha seats of every state by 50%.
“Women will never forgive you for this sin,” he said in an address to the nation and affirmed that it is only a matter of time before women are given their rightful share in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. “I assure every woman that we will remove each obstacle that comes in the way of women's reservation,” he said.
He began his impassioned 30-minute speech by apologising to women for his govt’s inability to get the bill to amend women’s reservation law passed despite utmost efforts. Asserting that those who defeated the bill thwarted the rise of women and smothered their aspirations, Modi said, “I apologise to my mothers and sisters.”
Soon, he switched gears to slam opposition, especially Congress, Trinamool Congress, SP and DMK, four parties he named for spreading lies to mislead people over the proposed amendments’ intent. They ended up unmasking themselves before the country, he said.
It is rare for Modi to target his political rivals in an address to the nation, which he has generally used to speak on pressing policy and governance matters. The departure seemed to signal the intent to take the fight to them after a united opposition rebuffed his repeated appeals and later assurance in Lok Sabha to dispel their criticism of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
He said the bill was not meant to snatch anything but to give every state, big or small, something in equal measure, rebutting the charge of opposition parties that delimitation would reduce the share of southern states in Lok Sabha. The women’s reservation amendment bill was the need of the hour, as it also sought to increase the political power of every region, be it north, south, east or west, and state by an equal percentage. However, family-run parties like Congress, TMC , Samajwadi Party and DMK were scared an empowered women’s leadership will threaten the hold of their ruling families, he said.
“Members of these parties were thumping their desks after snatching the rights of women. This was not merely thumping of desks but also a strike at women’s self-respect. And women can forget everything but an insult,” he said. “We might not have 66% votes needed to get the bill passed, but I know that we have the blessings of 100% of women,” he added, in what seemed to reflect the assessment that BJP can turn the setback into an opportunity to enhance support among women. He also seemed confident that opponents would suffer for their decision.
“I want to put it bluntly that those who opposed the Constitution amendment bill are taking women for granted.” Parties like Congress, Trinamool, SP and DMK are guilty of this feticide, he said, before singling out the main opposition party for historically detesting quota for women and being essentially an “anti-reform” party which has reflexively criticised every move of his govt, be it GST, digital payment, repeal of Article 370 and triple talaq or CAA.
Congress rejects and thwarts every reform needed for a developed India in the 21st century, he said. These parties betrayed their own people, Modi said, adding that the likes of DMK and TMC had a great opportunity to politically empower more people from their state. While Congress itself has lost relevance in many parts of the country and is now living off its allies like a parasite, it still pushed them into opposing the bill to blight their future, he said.
He slammed what he called the attempt to engineer a north versus south divide despite govt’s repeated assertion that no state will suffer. Congress has inherited its divide-and-rule mindset from the British, he said, claiming that every challenge facing the country is an outcome of the party being steeped in negativity and an anti-reform ethos.
He said, “For us, national interest is paramount. But when for some parties partisan interest becomes everything and is placed above national interest, then women’s empowerment and the nation’s interest have to bear the consequences.” Modi said he, like women, was feeling sad over the failure to introduce changes for early enforcement of women’s reservation law. But he ended on a note of defiance rather than disappointment.
“Our morale is undimmed and our courage is intact. Our resolve is also unshakeable. Parties which opposed the bill will not be able to stop us from increasing the representation of women in legislatures. It is only a matter of time. We may have lacked the numbers, but that does not mean that we lost. Our willpower is invincible, and we will not be stopped until we have fulfilled our commitment,” he said.
“Women will never forgive you for this sin,” he said in an address to the nation and affirmed that it is only a matter of time before women are given their rightful share in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. “I assure every woman that we will remove each obstacle that comes in the way of women's reservation,” he said.
He began his impassioned 30-minute speech by apologising to women for his govt’s inability to get the bill to amend women’s reservation law passed despite utmost efforts. Asserting that those who defeated the bill thwarted the rise of women and smothered their aspirations, Modi said, “I apologise to my mothers and sisters.”
Soon, he switched gears to slam opposition, especially Congress , Trinamool Congress, SP and DMK , four parties he named for spreading lies to mislead people over the proposed amendments’ intent. They ended up unmasking themselves before the country, he said. PM Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a fiery attack on opposition for defeating the proposed amendments to “women’s reservation law,” as he accused them of committing “bhrun hatya” (feticide) in Parliament by scuttling his govt’s “honest attempts” for rollout of 33% quota for women by 2029 and increase in the Lok Sabha seats of every state by 50%.
“Women will never forgive you for this sin,” he said in an address to the nation and affirmed that it is only a matter of time before women are given their rightful share in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. “I assure every woman that we will remove each obstacle that comes in the way of women's reservation,” he said.
He began his impassioned 30-minute speech by apologising to women for his govt’s inability to get the bill to amend women’s reservation law passed despite utmost efforts. Asserting that those who defeated the bill thwarted the rise of women and smothered their aspirations, Modi said, “I apologise to my mothers and sisters.”
Soon, he switched gears to slam opposition, especially Congress, Trinamool Congress, SP and DMK, four parties he named for spreading lies to mislead people over the proposed amendments’ intent. They ended up unmasking themselves before the country, he said.
It is rare for Modi to target his political rivals in an address to the nation, which he has generally used to speak on pressing policy and governance matters. The departure seemed to signal the intent to take the fight to them after a united opposition rebuffed his repeated appeals and later assurance in Lok Sabha to dispel their criticism of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill.
He said the bill was not meant to snatch anything but to give every state, big or small, something in equal measure, rebutting the charge of opposition parties that delimitation would reduce the share of southern states in Lok Sabha. The women’s reservation amendment bill was the need of the hour, as it also sought to increase the political power of every region, be it north, south, east or west, and state by an equal percentage. However, family-run parties like Congress, TMC , Samajwadi Party and DMK were scared an empowered women’s leadership will threaten the hold of their ruling families, he said.
“Members of these parties were thumping their desks after snatching the rights of women. This was not merely thumping of desks but also a strike at women’s self-respect. And women can forget everything but an insult,” he said. “We might not have 66% votes needed to get the bill passed, but I know that we have the blessings of 100% of women,” he added, in what seemed to reflect the assessment that BJP can turn the setback into an opportunity to enhance support among women. He also seemed confident that opponents would suffer for their decision.
“I want to put it bluntly that those who opposed the Constitution amendment bill are taking women for granted.” Parties like Congress, Trinamool, SP and DMK are guilty of this feticide, he said, before singling out the main opposition party for historically detesting quota for women and being essentially an “anti-reform” party which has reflexively criticised every move of his govt, be it GST, digital payment, repeal of Article 370 and triple talaq or CAA.
Congress rejects and thwarts every reform needed for a developed India in the 21st century, he said. These parties betrayed their own people, Modi said, adding that the likes of DMK and TMC had a great opportunity to politically empower more people from their state. While Congress itself has lost relevance in many parts of the country and is now living off its allies like a parasite, it still pushed them into opposing the bill to blight their future, he said.
He slammed what he called the attempt to engineer a north versus south divide despite govt’s repeated assertion that no state will suffer. Congress has inherited its divide-and-rule mindset from the British, he said, claiming that every challenge facing the country is an outcome of the party being steeped in negativity and an anti-reform ethos.
He said, “For us, national interest is paramount. But when for some parties partisan interest becomes everything and is placed above national interest, then women’s empowerment and the nation’s interest have to bear the consequences.” Modi said he, like women, was feeling sad over the failure to introduce changes for early enforcement of women’s reservation law. But he ended on a note of defiance rather than disappointment.
“Our morale is undimmed and our courage is intact. Our resolve is also unshakeable. Parties which opposed the bill will not be able to stop us from increasing the representation of women in legislatures. It is only a matter of time. We may have lacked the numbers, but that does not mean that we lost. Our willpower is invincible, and we will not be stopped until we have fulfilled our commitment,” he said.
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