Opposition committed foeticide of your rights: PM to women after quota setback
PM Modi's national address comes a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, aimed to increase Lok Sabha seats for fast-tracking the implementation of women's reservation, was defeated on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday apologised to the nation's "mothers and daughters" following the defeat of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament as he tore into the opposition over what he called "foeticide (bhrun hatya)" of women's rights due to its "petty politics". In a 30-minute address to the nation, a combative Prime Minister underlined how the opposition, specifically naming the Congress, TMC and DMK, thumped their tables in jubilation after the bill failed the Lok Sabha test.
"I seek forgiveness from all women of the country for failing to get the bill passed. Due to the selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and the Samajwadi Party, the women of the country have suffered," PM Modi said. Notably, Bengal and Tamil Nadu, states where the TMC and DMK are in power, go to the polls next week.
'ATTACK ON DIGNITY OF WOMEN'
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, aimed to increase Lok Sabha seats for fast-tracking the implementation of women's reservation in Parliament, was defeated on Friday. It was the first major legislative loss for the Modi government since it came to power in 2014.
However, it must be noted that the 2023 women's reservation law, which was notified on Thursday night, still stands.
Mixing emotion with a confrontational tone, the Prime Minister warned the opposition that a woman might forget everything, but not her insult.
"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," he further said.
Warning the opposition, PM Modi said the women would "punish" the opposition leaders who "celebrated and rejoiced" in the Parliament.
"The women of this nation, whenever they encounter these leaders in their own neighbourhoods, will remember. They will remember that these are the very individuals who celebrated and rejoiced in the halls of Parliament when the hope for women's reservation was extinguished," PM Modi said.
The key accusation of the opposition was that the government was using the women's reservation issue to push for a delimitation exercise to help the BJP by redrawing the country's electoral map. The opposition also underlined that it would adversely impact the representation of southern states in the Lok Sabha.
'CONGRESS COMMITTED FOETICIDE'
The Prime Minister took pains to highlight that the government was willing to include provisions related to a proportionate increase in the number of parliamentary seats in each state by 50%. He stressed that he also offered to cede credit for the legislation entirely.
"This was an attempt to give more voice to every state... Whether states are small or big, whether they have more population or less. But the Congress and its allies committed foeticide of this honest attempt in front of the whole country," PM Modi said.
He also accused the opposition of "lying" about delimitation.
"They want to fan the flames of partition under this pretext. Congress took the politics of divide and rule as its legacy from the British," PM Modi said.
Singling out the Congress, which he called an "anti-reform party", the Prime Minister asserted that the principle of the Congress has been delaying, diverting, and obstructing.
"Congress kept border disputes pending. It delayed issues related to water-sharing with Pakistan. It kept the decision on OBC reservation pending for 40 years," he underlined.
Before signing off, the Prime Minister underscored that not having a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha - required for passage of constitutional amendment bills - does not mean the BJP is defeated.
"I believe we have the support of women across the country. I assure every woman in the country that we will remove every obstacle in the path of women's reservation," the Prime Minister said, indicating that a fresh amendment bill in a different form might be in the offing.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday apologised to the nation's "mothers and daughters" following the defeat of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament as he tore into the opposition over what he called "foeticide (bhrun hatya)" of women's rights due to its "petty politics". In a 30-minute address to the nation, a combative Prime Minister underlined how the opposition, specifically naming the Congress, TMC and DMK, thumped their tables in jubilation after the bill failed the Lok Sabha test.
"I seek forgiveness from all women of the country for failing to get the bill passed. Due to the selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and the Samajwadi Party, the women of the country have suffered," PM Modi said. Notably, Bengal and Tamil Nadu, states where the TMC and DMK are in power, go to the polls next week.
'ATTACK ON DIGNITY OF WOMEN'
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, aimed to increase Lok Sabha seats for fast-tracking the implementation of women's reservation in Parliament, was defeated on Friday. It was the first major legislative loss for the Modi government since it came to power in 2014.
However, it must be noted that the 2023 women's reservation law, which was notified on Thursday night, still stands.
Mixing emotion with a confrontational tone, the Prime Minister warned the opposition that a woman might forget everything, but not her insult.
"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," he further said.
Warning the opposition, PM Modi said the women would "punish" the opposition leaders who "celebrated and rejoiced" in the Parliament.
"The women of this nation, whenever they encounter these leaders in their own neighbourhoods, will remember. They will remember that these are the very individuals who celebrated and rejoiced in the halls of Parliament when the hope for women's reservation was extinguished," PM Modi said.
The key accusation of the opposition was that the government was using the women's reservation issue to push for a delimitation exercise to help the BJP by redrawing the country's electoral map. The opposition also underlined that it would adversely impact the representation of southern states in the Lok Sabha.
'CONGRESS COMMITTED FOETICIDE'
The Prime Minister took pains to highlight that the government was willing to include provisions related to a proportionate increase in the number of parliamentary seats in each state by 50%. He stressed that he also offered to cede credit for the legislation entirely.
"This was an attempt to give more voice to every state... Whether states are small or big, whether they have more population or less. But the Congress and its allies committed foeticide of this honest attempt in front of the whole country," PM Modi said.
He also accused the opposition of "lying" about delimitation.
"They want to fan the flames of partition under this pretext. Congress took the politics of divide and rule as its legacy from the British," PM Modi said.
Singling out the Congress, which he called an "anti-reform party", the Prime Minister asserted that the principle of the Congress has been delaying, diverting, and obstructing.
"Congress kept border disputes pending. It delayed issues related to water-sharing with Pakistan. It kept the decision on OBC reservation pending for 40 years," he underlined.
Before signing off, the Prime Minister underscored that not having a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha - required for passage of constitutional amendment bills - does not mean the BJP is defeated.
"I believe we have the support of women across the country. I assure every woman in the country that we will remove every obstacle in the path of women's reservation," the Prime Minister said, indicating that a fresh amendment bill in a different form might be in the offing.
