PM Modi Addresses Nation After Women’s Quota Bill Defeat, Says ‘We Will Not Stop’
New Delhi, 18th April 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Saturday night, apologising to women after the Women’s Reservation Bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister said he regretted that the proposed constitutional amendment could not be cleared and assured that efforts to ensure political representation for women would continue.
The address came a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which sought to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 and provide 33 percent reservation for women, failed to secure the required majority. The bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the 352 votes needed for passage.
In his 30-minute speech, Modi said “national interest is paramount” and accused opposition parties of placing political considerations above the rights of women. He alleged that parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, and Samajwadi Party were responsible for blocking the legislation and described their opposition as detrimental to women’s empowerment.
The Prime Minister claimed that the bill was aimed at expanding opportunities for women across all states and regions and said its rejection had “hurt the aspirations of millions.” He also alleged that opposition parties celebrated the bill’s defeat inside Parliament, calling it an “insult to women’s dignity.”
Modi further argued that “family-driven parties” feared losing political ground if women’s representation increased after delimitation. He accused the opposition of repeatedly using “technical arguments” to stall reforms related to women’s rights.
On the issue of delimitation, the Prime Minister said misinformation was being spread that certain states would lose representation. He maintained that no state’s representation would be reduced and accused opposition parties of attempting to create divisions on the issue.
Despite the setback, Modi asserted that the government had not accepted defeat. “We did not have the numbers yesterday, but that does not mean we have lost. Our efforts will continue,” he said, adding that the government remains committed to securing women’s reservation in the future.
The Prime Minister also said that women across the country were closely watching political developments and warned that those opposing the bill would face consequences from the electorate.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders responded sharply to the address. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav announced a press conference to expose what he termed a “political conspiracy” behind the delimitation proposal. Congress leader Nana Patole criticised the Prime Minister, alleging that the government has relied on “repetition of false narratives” since 2014 and questioned the repeated references to the Congress during the speech.
The failure of the Women’s Reservation Bill marks the first instance in over a decade that the Modi government has been unable to pass a key piece of legislation in the Lok Sabha, intensifying political confrontation ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
