PM Modi will address the nation at 8.30 pm, a day after women's quota bill defeat
Sources told India Today that during a Cabinet meeting held earlier today, the Prime Minister accused the Opposition of being "guilty" and acting against women by refusing to support the Women's Reservation Bill. He termed the Opposition's stance a mistake and warned it would have to pay a political price in the future.
A day after the women's reservation bill failed to pass the test in Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to deliver an address to the nation at 8.30 pm, his office announced on Saturday. The PMO has given no clarity on the subject on which he will address.
However, the timing of his address coincided with the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failing to secure the requisite two-thirds majority in the Lower House. The bill sought to implement 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, increase Lok Sabha strength from 543 to 850, and carry out delimitation based on the 2011 Census. While 298 MPs voted in favour of the bill, 230 opposed it.
Sources told India Today that during a Cabinet meeting held earlier today, the Prime Minister accused the Opposition of being “guilty” and acting against women by refusing to support the Women’s Reservation Bill. He termed the Opposition’s stance a mistake and warned it would have to pay a political price in the future.
According to sources, he emphasised that the message -- that the Opposition holds a negative mindset towards women -- must be taken to every village across the country. He also said Opposition parties are now scrambling to justify their position.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi, addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters earlier, called the development a “big victory for democracy” and a “black day for the BJP,” pointing out that the ruling party at the Centre had suffered its first defeat in Parliament since taking the reins in 2014.
Priyanka further alleged that the Centre made a concerted effort to push through the women’s reservation bill by linking it with delimitation, adding that “a whole conspiracy was hatched to remain in power.” She also claimed the government sought to bypass a caste census by proposing delimitation based on the 2011 Census instead of a fresh one.
Against this backdrop, with the bill failing the Lok Sabha test, women’s quota and delimitation remain up in the air, all eyes will be on PM Modi’s address tonight.