PM Modi apologises to women over quota bill setback, slams Congress as ‘anti-reform party’

After the defeat of the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha on Friday, which stalled the proposed increase in Lok Sabha seats to 850 and delayed the rollout of 33 per cent women’s reservation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (April 18) launched a sharp attack on opposition parties, accusing them of celebrating the failure of a key reform.

Addressing the nation, PM Modi said parties such as Congress, DMK, TMC and the Samajwadi Party were “happy and celebrating” when the bill failed in Parliament and had “insulted the women of India”. He warned that women would not forgive them for this. “Dynastic parties were laughing after taking away women's rights,” he said.

The Prime Minister alleged that opposition parties prioritised politics over public interest. “Due to the opposition parties' narrow and self-serving politics, the mothers and sisters of our nation had to bear the consequences,” he said, while also apologising to the nation’s “mothers and daughters” over the bill’s defeat.

“Yesterday, crores of women had their eyes on Parliament. The country's women's power was witnessing everything. It deeply pained me to see that when the proposal was defeated, dynastic parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and SP were clapping in joy,” he said. Emphasising the emotional impact, Modi added, “A woman can forget everything, but she never forgets her insult. The behaviour of Congress and its allies in Parliament will remain a lasting pain in every woman's heart.”

The remarks came after the bill failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. While the NDA secured 298 votes in favour, the INDIA bloc opposed it with 230 votes, arguing that linking women’s reservation to delimitation could affect the political balance of southern and northeastern states. Despite a simple majority among the 528 members present, the bill fell 54 votes short of the required “special majority”.

Continuing his attack, Modi said, “These factions have disrespected the Constitution. They will not be spared; they will be punished for what they did.” He stressed the intent behind the legislation, adding, “It would have given representation to women in all parts of India. It was meant to strengthen the presence of women.”

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Targeting the Congress, the Prime Minister said the party had “lost its credibility and prominence and is struggling for survival”.

On the delimitation issue, he accused the opposition of misleading the public, saying, “Congress and its allies are constantly lying about the Delimitation Bill. They want to divide and rule. Congress has learned this politics from the British and continues to follow these principles,” he said.

He also criticised regional parties for missing an opportunity to enhance representation. “DMK had a chance to increase Tamil representation in Parliament, but they have now lost that opportunity. TMC had a chance to increase representation from Bengal, but they too lost it. The Samajwadi Party also had an opportunity, but it missed it as well. The Samajwadi Party has disrespected and undermined the ideals of Ram Manohar Lohia,” he said.

Calling Congress an “anti-reform party”, Modi said it had opposed several major initiatives. “Due to Congress, India couldn’t achieve the growth and global standing it deserved. Many countries that gained independence alongside India are now ahead because of Congress. The country has suffered due to Congress’s tactics,” he said.

Concluding his address, the Prime Minister asserted that the government remains committed to women’s empowerment. “We couldn’t secure the required 66% vote to get the bill passed, but I know that 100% of Indian women and their blessings are with us,” he said, adding, “We will not stop. We will have more chances in the future. We will fulfil this promise.”