Opposition committed sin by opposing reservation for women, will be punished: PM Modi

 PM Modi criticises Opposition over women's reservation issue

PTI, April 18, 2026, New Delhi: A day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures by 2029 and to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated in the Lower House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Opposition parties.

Modi said by opposing women's reservation, the Opposition parties have committed a sin and they will be punished. They have committed foeticide, Modi stated. Addressing the nation on Saturday night, the Prime Minister targeted the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the DMK and Samajwadi Party, apart from the Congress, for opposing the Bills. It is noteworthy here that Assembly elections are due in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where the TMC and DMK are in power. Modi said that the nation has witnessed how dreams of women were crushed on Friday.

The Prime Minister said women forget everything but they never forget their insult. Continuing his attack on the Opposition live on television, Modi said that members of the Opposition parties were celebrating when the Bills were defeated in Lok Sabha on Friday. He said: "What happened in Parliament was not just desk thumping, but an attack on the dignity and self-respect of women. The conduct of the Congress and its allies in Parliament will remain in the minds of women across the country." The Prime Minister alleged that Congress and its alliance partners have always tried to hinder the process of women's empowerment and have always tried to mislead the nation. "By doing this, they (opposition) have shown their true face to the nation," he said. "I was hoping that Congress would rectify its age-old mistake. But they lost the chance to stand with the women," Modi stated.

The Prime Minister also accused the Congress of pursuing divisive politics, alleging it spread falsehoods about a North-South divide. Modi said the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was the need of the hour and an honest effort to ensure balanced empowerment across north, south, east and west. "Congress has always opposed all attempts for nation-building, betterment of our country," he said. The Prime Minister also sought forgiveness from the women and sisters after the women's reservation amendment Bill failed to pass Lok Sabha as the government could not muster enough votes in favour.

"Women have noted that these parties have taken them for granted," he added, warning of political consequences for the Opposition over the outcome of the Bill. He further said that the defeat of the Bill went against the spirit of the Constitution's framers, adding that the proposal was not intended to take away anything from anyone but to expand representation.

"The Bill was an attempt to give women their right before the 2029 polls, an expectation that has been pending for 40 years," he said.

The Prime Minister also accused the Congress of opposing women's reservation over the years and alleged that efforts to introduce such measures had repeatedly been blocked. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, failed to secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority. It garnered 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the 352 votes required for passage.

Earlier, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the defeat of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha should not be seen as a setback for the Centre or the BJP, but as a "huge blow" to the nation caused by Congress and other opposition parties.