Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned the Congress and its allies that the women of India will severely punish them for “the sin of foeticide” after the opposition defeated a bill for women’s reservation in Parliament and state assemblies.

 

In an address to the nation last night, Prime Minister Modi apologised to the women and said the government may have lost the vote, but it will never give up its efforts to empower women. He further asserted that those parties opposing women’s reservation will not be able to prevent the nation’s women from increasing their participation in Parliament and the State Assemblies.

 

He said the BJP and NDA’s resolve to empower women remains unwavering. Mr Modi said that, as the legislation related to the amendment of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam failed to secure the 66 per cent of votes required to pass it, but the blessings of 100 per cent of the nation’s women are with his government.

 

The Prime Minister said that the interest of the nation is of prime importance of his government. However, for some, party comes first, forcing both women’s empowerment and the nation’s interests to bear the consequences. He said it was deeply painful to see that when this legislation in the interest of women was defeated, parties like Congress, DMK, SP, and TMC were applauding and by taking away women’s rights, they were thumping their desks. The Prime Minister termed their act as a blow to the dignity and self-respect of women.

 

The Prime Minister emphasised that the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment is the need of the hour, and it was an effort to ensure balanced empowerment across all regions, including North, South, East and West. He said the legislation aimed to strengthen the voice of every state in Parliament, whether big or small, by increasing representation proportionately, but this sincere effort was crushed by Congress and its allies.  

 

In his address, the Prime Minister said Congress spread the narrative that the delimitation exercise would harm certain states, but the NDA government made it clear from the very beginning that no state’s share would be reduced and representation would not decline as Seats in States would increase proportionately.

 

Prime Minister Modi said that the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment was aimed to finally grant women their long-pending rights, starting from the next Lok Sabha elections in 2029.  He said the legislation was a transformative effort to create new opportunities for women of 21st-century India, to give them new wings to soar, and to remove obstacles from their path. He added that with a clear intent and honesty, it was a sacred effort to ensure that 50 per cent of the country’s population receives their rightful share and representation.

 

Mr Modi said, by opposing the legislation, Congress has proved itself to be an anti-reform party.’ He alleged that Congress has always sat on every reform, stalling it, and the work culture of the Congress is delaying, diverting and obstructing.