New Delhi, Apr 18 (JKNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed deep regret over the failure to pass the women’s reservation amendment in Parliament, saying the setback has halted the momentum of women’s empowerment in the country.
As per news agency JKNS, Prime Minister Modi in his nation address said, “Today I’m here to discuss an important issue, especially for the women of this country. Every citizen of this country is witnessing how women’s progress has stalled. Despite our best efforts, we haven’t succeeded. Amendments could not be made in the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam. And I apologise to all the mothers and sisters of the nation for this.”
He said, “Nation’s welfare is our priority, but when political benefit becomes the priority for some people, even bigger than the nation’s welfare, the women of the country have to bear the burden for this. The same happened this time as well. The country’s Nari Shakti had to bear the burden of the selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party.”
The Prime Minister added, “I was deeply saddened to see that when this proposal for women’s welfare was defeated, dynastic parties like the Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party were clapping with joy. These people were thumping the table after snatching away women’s rights. This was an attack on women’s self-respect and self-esteem. And women forget everything, but they never forget their own insults. Therefore, the pain of the behavior of the Congress and its allies in Parliament will always remain in every woman’s heart. Whenever women across the country see these leaders in their constituencies, they will remember that these same people celebrated and rejoiced when women’s reservation was blocked in Parliament.”
He further said, “Personally, I had hopes that the Congress would rectify its decades-old mistake, that it would atone for its sins. But Congress lost the opportunity to script history and stand in support of women. Congress has lost its existence in most of the regions of the country. Like a parasite, Congress piggyrides regional parties and keeps itself alive. But Congress does not even want regional parties to grow stronger. So, it hatched the political conspiracy of pushing the future of several regional parties into darkness by making them oppose this amendment.”
The Prime Minister said, “I will say clearly to those parties who opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment in Parliament yesterday: These people are taking women’s power for granted. They are forgetting that women of the twenty-first century are closely monitoring every event in the country. They understand their intentions and are fully aware of the truth. Therefore, the opposition will surely be punished for the sin they have committed by opposing women’s reservation.”
He said, “Congress, SP, DMK, TMC and other parties have made the same excuse all these years. Raising some technical issue, they have looted the rights of women. The nation has understood this ugly pattern of politics and has understood the reason behind this.”
The Prime Minister added, “There is a big reason behind the opposition to Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam – the fear of these dynastic parties. They are scared that if women get empowered, the leadership of these dynastic parties will be threatened. They would never want women outside their families to go ahead.”
He further said, “These parties also insulted the sentiments of the framers of the Constitution, and they will not be spared by the people’s punishment for this. The Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment was not about taking anything away from anyone, but about giving something to everyone. It was about giving women the rights that had been pending for 40 years, in the next elections in 2029. It was a Maha Yagya to remove obstacles from their path. The Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment is the need of the hour. Congress and its allies have committed feticide of this endeavour in the Parliament in front of everyone. Parties like Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party and DMK are responsible for this. They are the culprits of Nari Shakti of the nation.”
The Prime Minister said, “Congress hates the topic of women’s reservation and has always conspired to stop this. Whenever efforts were made in this direction, Congress always put obstacles. This time as well, Congress and its allies used one or the other lies to stop this. They tried to mislead the nation.”
He added, “Congress and its allies are continuously lying over delimitation. They want to fan the flames of division under this pretext. Congress has learned the politics of divide and rule from the British as its heritage. Even today, Congress is functioning on the same. Congress has always fanned the sentiments which create fractures within the country. So, misinformation was spread that delimitation would cause a loss to a few states. But the Government has made it clear from the first day itself that neither the proportion of a state’s representation will change nor will anyone’s representation be lower. Seats of all states will be increased in an equal proportion. Still, Congress, DMK, TMC, SP and other parties are not ready to accept this.”
He further said, “This amendment Bill was an opportunity for all parties and states. Had the Bill been passed, seats in Tamil Nadu, Bengal, UP, Keralam and every state would have increased. But due to their selfish politics, these parties betrayed the people of their own states. DMK had the opportunity to make even more Tamils, MPs and MLAs. It could have further strengthened the voice of Tamil Nadu. But it lost that opportunity. TMC too had the opportunity to push forward the people of Bengal. But TMC too lost the opportunity. SP too had the opportunity to lighten its anti-women image. But SP missed it. SP has already forgotten Lohia ji. 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.”
The Prime Minister added, “By opposing women’s reservation, Congress has once again proven that it is an anti-reform party. Congress opposes all decisions and reforms necessary for the Viksit Bharat of the 21st century, and whatever decisions are being made by the country. It rejects these and causes obstructions. This is the history and negative politics of Congress.”
He said, “Congress opposes One Nation One Election, it opposes driving out infiltrators from the country, it opposes SIR, it opposes Waqf Board reforms. Congress even opposed CAA and lied about it. It kicked up a storm in the country by spreading misinformation. It even obstructs the nation’s efforts towards Maoist or Naxal violence. There has been just one pattern of Congress, lie and spread misinformation whenever any reform is brought. History is witness to the fact that Congress has always opted for this negative path.”
He further said, “This is the same Congress that opposed Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile connectivity. Congress opposed digital payments, Congress opposed GST, Congress opposed reservation for the economically weaker sections, Congress opposed the law against triple talaq, and Congress opposed the abrogation of Article 370. Our Constitution and our courts consider the Uniform Civil Code as important for ensuring equal rights for all citizens, yet Congress opposes that as well. The moment Congress hears the word reform, it comes out with placards in protest. Any step that strengthens the nation, Congress puts all its efforts into opposing it instead of supporting it.” (JKNS)
