'Cong, TMC, DMK guilty': PM Modi likens oppn's move against women quota bill to 'foeticide'

NEW DELHI: In an address to the nation on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the opposition, a day after a bill to implement women’s reservation in legislatures was defeated in the Lok Sabha.Apologising to "all mothers and sisters" in the country, PM Modi said he was "startled" to see family-run parties like Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), DMK, and Trinamool Congress (TMC) celebrating the fall of the women's reservation bill. "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," he added.The prime minister further stated that upon seeing leaders of these parties in their constituencies, they would not forget the same people "celebrated and rejoiced when women's reservation was blocked in Parliament.”PM Modi also said that the DMK, TMC, and SP—Congress allies and among the three largest parties in the Lok Sabha after the two national parties—had “betrayed” the people of their own states, arguing that the number of Lok Sabha seats in every state would have increased had the bill been passed.“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. Women of UP and the entire nation will never forget this,” he remarked.Tamil Nadu and West Bengal will go to the polls on April 23, with West Bengal scheduled for an additional phase on April 29. Uttar Pradesh is set to hold assembly elections in February–March 2027.Meanwhile, PM Modi alleged that the Congress and its allies committed a "foeticide" by blocking the women's reservation bill. "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. 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.