Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government will continue efforts to implement the women’s reservation law despite the setback in Parliament. He vowed to remove obstacles and reaffirmed commitment to ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures by 2029. (a file photo) | Photo Credit: @NarendraModi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday assured that efforts to implement women’s reservation will not stop and vowed to remove all obstacles.

“Yesterday, we did not have the numbers, but that does not mean we have accepted defeat. Our efforts will not stop. We will have more opportunities in the future. For the dreams of half the population and for the future of the country, we are determined to fulfil this resolve,” he said in his address to the nation a day after, when the Constitution Amendment Bill for the implementation of women’s reservation was introduced by hiking the number of total seats.

The legislation aimed to increase the Lok Sabha’s strength from 543 to 816 seats to operationalise 33 per cent reservation for women ahead of the 2029 general elections. The proposal was linked to a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census and included provisions to increase the number of seats in state and Union Territory assemblies.

PM attacks Opposition over bill defeat

Launching an all-out attack against Opposition parties during his televised address, he said that Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party “committed bhroon hatya (female foeticide)” by defeating the bill. “I felt hurt to see that when the bill for women’s welfare was defeated, parties like Congress and DMK were clapping and thumping desks. What they did was not just noise on the table; it was a blow to the dignity of women,” he said.

He reminded these parties that a woman may forget everything, but she never forgets her insult. He also said that opposition parties have betrayed the people of their own states. “The DMK had an opportunity, the TMC also had a chance to take the people of Bengal forward, but they too wasted it. The SP also had a chance to reduce its image of being anti-women, but by opposing this, it has crushed the dreams of Lohia ji,“ the Prime Minister said while accusing Congress of being an anti-reform party.

Published on April 18, 2026