Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh calls PM Modi's address to nation a "campaign speech"

New Delhi [India], April 19 : Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on reservation for women legislators, calling it a "campaign speech" and questioning the timing and intent behind the legislative process.

Speaking toon Saturday, the Congress MP noted that the support for the amendment to operationalise Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam fell as it was linked to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026.

Akhilesh Prasad Singh said, "I want to clearly state that the Prime Minister was well aware that when the Women's Reservation Bill was passed in 2023, 500 members of Parliament participated at that time, and 498 MPs supported it. This time, with the new delimitation bill they brought, support dropped from 498 to 298 members, so 200 members of Parliament went against it. Why did this happen? It happened because of the amendment. No one was opposed to women's reservation. At that time, too, all parties had said it should be implemented immediately, but then it was linked with delimitation."

Questioning the timing of the proposed legislation, the Congress leader said that the Bills could be brought after the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

"If there were no politics in their minds, then why did the President sign this bill at 10 pm at night? You could have brought it even after the elections. His address to the nation was like a campaign speech. Rahul Gandhi wouldn't get such a platform. When two states are bound for polls, what is the meaning of an address to the nation?" he added.

This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Opposition for blocking the Women's Reservation Bill, saying that they "crushed" their dreams despite the government's sincere efforts.

PM Modi pointed out that the defeat of this bill is a direct blow to the self-respect of women, an insult that the female electorate will permanently engrave in their memories. "Women may forget everything else, but they never forget an insult to their pride," PM Modi said in his address to the nation on Saturday.

PM Modi said "the sin committed by the opposition" will bring them punishment from the people.

Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha voted against the Constitution Amendment Bill on Friday.

The Lok Sabha took up the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-first Amendment) Bill, the Delimitation Bill, and the 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.

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