Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation at 8:30 pm on the night following the defeat of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha. In his address, the Prime Minister launched a sharp attack on Opposition parties, accusing them of prioritising political interests over public welfare.
Expressing concern over the bill’s failure, PM Modi said he was emotionally affected and offered an apology to women across the country. He alleged that due to what he termed “narrow and self-serving politics,” the nation’s mothers and sisters had been made to bear a heavy cost.
The Prime Minister accused parties such as the Congress, DMK, TMC, and SP of obstructing women’s empowerment for political reasons. He claimed that these parties acted against “Nari Shakti” and even celebrated the bill’s defeat in Parliament, which he described as deeply unfortunate and reflective of their mindset.
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi says, "Personally, I had hopes that the Congress would rectify its decades-old mistake, that it would atone for its sins. But Congress lost the opportunity to script history and stand in support of women. Congress has lost its existence in most of the… pic.twitter.com/rijVlBAU5y
— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2026
He further stated that the Women’s Reservation Bill was introduced in the national interest to enhance women’s representation in governance. PM Modi also clarified that the proposed delimitation exercise would not cause injustice to any state and was intended to ensure equal rights and fair representation across regions.
Accusing the Congress of attempting to divide the country for political gain, the Prime Minister said delimitation was wrongly used as a pretext to oppose the bill. He reiterated that women have been waiting for decades for reservation rights and affirmed that the government remains committed to strengthening “Nari Shakti” and ensuring greater participation of women in public life.