New Delhi [India], April 19 : Stating that the BJP-led government will remove every obstacle in the path of women's reservation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the ruling alliance's resolve to empower women is intact and the defeat of Constitution Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha on Friday does not mean "we have lost".
In his Address to the Nation, PM Modi attacked opposition parties for opposing the Constitution Amendment Bill which was linked with delimitation and targeted Congress in particular.
He said whatever decision is necessary for the country, Congress "sweeps it under the carpet".
"Because of this attitude of Congress, India has not reached the heights of development it deserves. At the time of independence, many other countries were freed along with us. Most of those countries went far ahead of us, and the reason was that Congress kept blocking every reform. Delay, diversion, obstructionthis was Congress's principle, this was Congress's work culture," he alleged.
"Congress delayed border disputes with neighboring countries. lostCongress delayed water-sharing disputes with Pakistan. Congress delayed the decision on OBC reservation for 40 years. Congress delayed One Rank One Pension for soldiers for 40 years," he added.
He alleged that attitude of Congress "has always caused great harm to the country".
"The nation has suffered from every opposition, every indecision, every deceit of Congress. Generations of the country have suffered. Today, all the major challenges before the country have arisen from this attitude of Congress. Therefore, this fight is not just about one law, this fight is against Congress's anti-reform mentality, which is filled only with negativity. And I have no doubt that the women and daughters of the country will give a strong reply to this mentality of Congress," he said.
PM Modi said some people are calling defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill a failure of the government.
"But this subject was never about success or failure, never about credit. I had said in Parliament too: let half the population get their rights, I will give the credit to the opposition by publishing advertisements with all their photos. But those who look at women with outdated thinking still stuck to their lies, remained firm," he said.
The Prime Minister said that the fight to give women power participation has been going on for decades and he too has been making efforts.
"So many women have raised this subject before me. So many sisters have written letters to me explaining everything. My country's mothers, sisters, daughtersI know you are all sad today. I too share in your sorrow. Today, even though we did not get the required 66 percent votes to pass the bill, I know that 100 percent of the women power of the country has blessed us," he said.
"I assure every woman of the country, we will remove every obstacle in the path of women's reservation. Our courage is high, our determination unbreakable, and our resolve unwavering. The parties opposing women's reservation will never be able to stop the women power of this country from increasing their participation in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies," he said.
The Prime Minister said that women getting reservation is "only a matter of time".
"The BJP-NDA's resolve for the empowerment of women power is intact. Yesterday we did not have the numbers, but that does not mean we lost. Our inner strength is invincible. Our effort will not stop, our effort will not pause. We will have more opportunities ahead. For the dreams of half the population, for the future of the country, we must fulfill this resolve," he said
He said Women may forget everything, but will never forget insult to their pride.
PM Modi said "the sin committed by the opposition" will bring them punishment from people.
"These parties have also insulted the sentiments of the framers of the Constitution, and they will not escape the punishment from the people," he added.
Opposition parties in Lok Sabha voted against the Constitution Amendment Bill on Friday.
The Lok Sabha took up Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill, Delimitation Bill, and Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill together for passing.In the division that took place on the Constitution Amendment Bill following the debate on the three bills, 298 members voted in favour and 230 against.
With Constitution Amendment Bill defeated, the government later said it did not want to pursue the two other linked bills.
The bills aimed to take the strength of Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 with 33 per cent reservation for women. The delimitation was to be carried out based on the 2011 census. The government said there will be proportionate increase in seats for all states.
Opposition parties said that they are strongly in favour of women's reservation but were against the Delimitation Bill. They asked the government to implement the women's reservation in the existing strength of Lok Sabha.
The government had convened a three-day special sitting of Parliament from April 16 to get the three bills passed. Opposition parties had also questioned the timing of the decision, saying it came amid assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and was aimed at electoral advantage in these states.
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