PM Modi address highlights: Prime Minister Modi calls Congress an 'anti-reform party' after women's quota setback

Based on the 2011 census, Tamil Nadu was set to get so many more seats, but clearly DMK didn’t want this to happen, says PM Modi at a Coimbatore rally.

Himachal Pradesh minister Vikramaditya Singh on Saturday demanded that the Centre should delink women's rights from the complexities of census and delimitation.

“If the intention is truly to empower the 50 per cent of our population, why wait for a map to be redrawn? Implementation should be immediate, unconditional and fair to all regions of India,” the public works minister told reporters here.

Speaking of the structural flaws and alleged political motives behind the stalemate of the Women’s Reservation Bill, he said, “We cannot allow the daughters of India to be used as a shield for a project aimed at regional disenfranchisement.” Singh demanded sincerity from the Union in implementing the 33 per cent quota within the existing 543 seats immediately for the 2029 general election.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday lambasted the Central government for linking the women's reservation bill to the delimitation process, saying there was no need for it.

He warned of "severe protests" if the existing seat share for South India in Parliament is not maintained.

The Women's Reservation Bill was already passed by the Parliament in 2023. There was no need for this Bill to be linked with the delimitation exercise. Knowing fully well that if 2011's census becomes the basis for delimitation, southern India will lose out heavily," KTR told ANI.

He accused the Centre of "stifling the voice of southern India" while criticising its attempt to base delimitation on the 2011 census.

"Modi government introduced this Bill, which they knew very well, would not be able to get the two-thirds majority that is required for a Constitutional amendment. Therefore, we as BRS, certainly express our deep concern and deep protest with respect to stifling the voice of southern India in the Parliament," the BRS working president said.

He demanded that the Centre implement the women's reservation law passed in 2023 on 543 Lok Sabha seats and said that approximately 24 per cent of the seats in South India must remain intact.

"We request and demand that the Union government fulfil the promise given to the women of this country because the Bill was already passed in 2023 with respect to women's reservation. If you have to do it, you can do it with the 543 at present. All that we would like to tell you is make sure that the 24 per cent seats that the south of India has in the Parliament are kept intact. If that is not kept intact, this will lead to severe protest and resentment from the people of South India who have contributed to this nation in a big way," KTR said.

The Congress on Saturday accused the Centre of attempting to alter the federal structure under the guise of women's reservation, saying the defeat of the Constitution amendment bill in the Lok Sabha was a "victory for democracy" and alleging that the government has "consistently flip-flopped" on the issue.

The party reiterated its support for the immediate implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, 2023, and claimed the proposed changes were linked to delimitation for political gains.

Addressing a press conference, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that the sole aim behind bringing the Constitution amendment bill was to remain in power permanently, adding that people could see through the government's intentions.

"What happened yesterday was a very significant victory for democracy. The government's conspiracy to alter the federal structure and weaken democracy was defeated and stopped," she said.

"It was a victory for the Constitution, the country and the unity of the opposition. This was clearly visible on the faces of leaders from the ruling side," she told reporters.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday lashed out at the INDI alliance, a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha and accused the Congress-DMK alliance of being "anti-women, anti-OBC and anti-Tamil Pride."

Goyal, election in-charge for the Tamil Nadu assembly polls, also referred to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill and highlighted the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for women's empowerment.

"Yesterday, Prime Minister Modi fought for women. He fought to give them political participation... Women have been left in tears because of this very negative attitude of DMK, Congress, TMC, and the whole INDI alliance... This Congress, DMK, is anti-woman, anti-OBC, anti-Tamil pride, anti-Tamil culture, anti-Tamil people. Therefore, the people of Tamil Nadu have made up their mind; they will never allow a person like Udhayanidhi Stalin to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu," he said.

PM Narendra Modi attacked the opposition in a poll rally in Coimbatore, saying, “Why does it trouble DMK, Cong to see ordinary women rise”.

Just over an hour before PM Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the nation, he reacted to the topic of Women's reservation in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore.

“Want to express my grief and pain among my own,” PM Modi said at an election rally.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation with "another web of falsehood".

This comes ahead of PM Modi's address to the nation, after the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill to implement women's reservation failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, as the INDIA bloc refused to vote in favour of the delimitation process.

Addressing a rally, Mamata Banerjee said, "Today, Prime Minister Modi will once again address the nation with yet another web of falsehoods. Under the BJP regime, those who once incited riots have now risen to become the leaders of the country".

Mamata Banerjee alleged the bill was introduced to "divide" the country, with the BJP aiming to gain political advantage by increasing the Lok Sabha seats to 850 through the delimitation process.

"Modi's downfall started yesterday in Delhi. It is not the Women's Bill; I have been fighting for the Women's Bill since 1998. Modi has told lies through the media. The bill was introduced to divide the country. To divide Bengal and other non-BJP states. He knew he couldn't win in 543 constituencies; that's why he played the game to reach 850. That's why, despite the election campaign, I sent all 21 of my MPs. I wouldn't let the country be divided and not let Bengal get divided," she said.

Senior BJP leaders on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of “betraying” women and celebrating the defeat of their political aspirations after a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement reservation for women in legislatures from 2029 and increase the strength of the Lok Sabha was defeated in the Lower House.

Addressing a press conference, former Union minister Smriti Irani accused the Congress and its allies of rejoicing over the denial of 33 per cent reservation to women in legislatures, despite decades of demand by women leaders across parties.

The BJP and its allies are continuing their street protest against the Congress and the INDIA bloc alleging that the alliance was anti-women and did not want to see the women of the country go forward.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused the Centre of conspiring to change the federal structure of the country in the garb of women’s reservation and asserted that the defeat of the bill to amend the women’s quota law in the Lok Sabha was a victory of democracy and opposition unity.

Addressing a press conference here, the Congress general secretary underlined that the opposition was not against reservation for women and would support the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, if the government sought to implement it on the current strength of the Lok Sabha.

The sole aim of the government behind bringing the Constitution amendment bill was to remain in power permanently, Priyanka Gandhi charged, adding that the people of the country could see through its intentions.

Under the Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased up to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. Seats were also to be increased in state and UT assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.

A two-thirds majority was required for the passage of the crucial bill but the ruling BJP-led alliance could not muster the numbers.

PM Modi address LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation later tonight. While officials didn't elaborate on the agenda of the prime minister's speech, it is expected that he would speak on the Constitution Amendment Bill, which failed to get special majority on Friday.

PM Modi address LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the nation tonight at 8.30 pm, a day after the women's quota bill failed to get special majority in the Lok Sabha. "The Prime Minister will address the nation at 8.30 PM (April 18, Saturday)," an official said.

PM Modi is expected to delve into the issue of implementation of women's quota and the happenings in Parliament, where the Constitution Amendment Bill, part of the delimitation package failed to clear the house.