New Delhi, April 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party and its allies for what he described as committing “foeticide” against the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan’ Amendment, a landmark legislation aimed at empowering women in Indian politics. Addressing the nation on Saturday, the Prime Minister emphasised that the amendment was never about taking away rights from anyone but rather about granting long-pending rights to women, who constitute half of the country’s population.

He stated that the Bill sought to provide due representation to women starting from the very next Lok Sabha elections, removing obstacles that had hindered their progress for decades. Prime Minister Modi portrayed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan’ Amendment as a grand endeavour, likening it to a sacred “Maha Yagna” performed with honesty and clear intent. He said it was designed not only to offer new opportunities to the women of 21st-century India but also to enable them to soar freely by eliminating barriers in their path. ‘I Apologise to All Mothers and Sisters for This’: PM Narendra Modi Expresses Regret After Women’s Reservation Bill Fails in Lok Sabha (Watch Video).

The Prime Minister highlighted that the amendment would integrate women as true partners in the nation’s developmental journey, fostering greater inclusivity for all sections of society. He added that it addressed the need of the hour by ensuring a proportionate increase in the strength and representation of every state, whether in the North, South, East, or West, irrespective of their size or population density. This, he said, would amplify the voices of all states within Parliament and strengthen the federal spirit of the country.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep disappointment over the Opposition’s response, accusing the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and DMK of “brutally killing” this effort both inside the House and before the nation. He further alleged that these parties had acted against the spirit of the Constitution and against the interests of women by obstructing the Bill. The Prime Minister recalled that the Congress has historically harboured an aversion to women’s reservation and has consistently placed hurdles whenever such attempts were made in the past. PM Narendra Modi’s Address to the Nation Live Streaming: Watch Prime Minister’s Speech After Women’s Reservation Bill Defeat.

‘Foeticide of Nari Shakti Vandan’

He said that this time too, the Congress and its allies resorted to what he described as misleading arguments, diversionary tactics, and issues related to statistics to block the legislation. PM Modi said that by doing so, these parties have exposed their stance before the women of India. He added that he had personally hoped the Congress would use this opportunity to rectify its decades-old position and atone for past actions, but said the party failed to rise to the occasion. Reiterating his commitment to women’s empowerment, the Prime Minister asserted that meaningful progress in India cannot be achieved without giving women their rightful place in decision-making bodies.

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