Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a no-holds-barred attack on the Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party as he accused the Opposition of committing “bhrun hatya” (foeticide) of the women’s reservation bill.
“The Congress and its allies have murdered the fetus of this honest effort right in front of the entire country in the House. Parties like Congress, DMK, TMC, and SP are the culprits of this feticide. They are criminals against the country’s Constitution, criminals against the country’s feminine power,” PM Modi said in his address to the nation a day after the Constitution Amendment Bill that provided for early implementation of the women’s reservation and the delimitation failed to clear the Lok Sabha.
Modi apologised to the mothers and sisters of the country after the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (the women’s reservation bill) could not be passed in Parliament.
“For us, the nation’s interest is paramount. But when, for some people, their party becomes everything, then both women’s empowerment and national interest have to bear the consequences. This is what happened this time as well,” said Modi as he named and shamed the major Opposition parties who opposed the amendment bill.
The Prime Minister specifically targeted the Congress, the DMK, the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party, saying their “selfish politics” has caused harm to the country’s women.
“The self-serving politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC, and the Samajwadi Party has come at the expense of the nation’s women,” Modi said as he slammed the Opposition parties after their leaders celebrated the defeat of the bill by thumping their desks.
“Those were not just thumps on the desk, they were blows to the dignity and self-respect of women,” Modi remarked.
He continued: “A woman forgets everything, but she never forgets her insult. Therefore, the bitterness of the behaviour of Congress and its allies in Parliament will always remain in the heart of every woman. Those parties that opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment in Parliament are taking women’s power for granted.”
Targeting the Congress, Modi said that the Opposition party has once again proved that it is “anti-reform”.
“Congress’s anti-reform attitude has always caused immense damage to the country. The country has borne the consequences of every opposition, every indecision, every deceit and trickery by Congress; the generations of the country have borne them.
Reiterating that representation of any state will not diminish due to the delimitation, Modi accused the Congress of spreading falsehood about the exercise, a trait he said was inherited by the party from the British
“Congress has inherited this politics from the British. And Congress is still running on that very crutch even today. Congress has always fanned the emotions that create divisions in the country. That’s why this falsehood was spread that delimitation or redistricting will harm some states,” he said.
Attacking the regional parties, Modi further added that the DMK had the opportunity to enable more people from Tamil Nadu to become Members of Parliament and strengthen the state’s voice but it let that opportunity slip.
Criticising the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) for opposing the bill, the PM stated that the party also failed to seize the chance to empower more people from West Bengal and elevate their representation.
Taking aim at the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP), Modi said that the party has already forgotten the ideals of Ram Manohar Lohia.
“By opposing Nari Shakti Vandan amendment, SP crushed all the dreams of Lohia ji. SP is anti-women’s reservation. Women of UP and the entire nation will never forget this,” he added.