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PM Modi addresses the Lok Sabha

Published By : Admin | April 16, 2026 | 15:07 IST
This is a historic opportunity to empower our Nari Shakti : PM
Including Nari Shakti in decision-making is key to building a Viksit Bharat : PM
More and more women are becoming leaders at the grassroots level : PM
We must not assume we are giving something to the Nari Shakti; this is their right : PM
Women's participation in our parliamentary democracy is not just about numbers, but a commitment to democratic values: PM

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today addressed the Lok Sabha. Acknowledging that the discussion on the important bill had commenced early in the morning, PM Modi noted that many colleagues had effectively touched upon crucial issues while relying on facts and logic.

Observing that crucial moments arrive in the life of a nation, the Prime Minister stated that the societal mindset and leadership capability of the time capture such moments to forge a strong national legacy. Affirming that the current juncture represents a similarly historic moment in India's parliamentary democracy, he remarked that this idea should have been fully implemented 25 to 30 years ago to reach maturity by today. Highlighting India's identity as the Mother of Democracy, he pointed out that all House members have received an auspicious opportunity to add a new, reformative dimension to a millennia-old legacy. Reaffirming that making half of the country's population active participants in policy-making is an incredible privilege, the Prime Minister urged all honorable Members of Parliament not to let this vital opportunity slip away. Focusing strictly on the transformative effort underway, he affirmed that all Indians together are preparing to infuse the governance system with deep sensitivity to determine the future condition of the country. "We stand at such a crucial turning point where the nectar emerging from this churning will decide the nation's direction," observed Shri Modi.

Acknowledging the new self-confidence of India in the 21st century, the Prime Minister observed that the entire nation is currently experiencing widespread global acceptance, making it a moment of immense pride tied to the resolution of a developed India. He affirmed that his vision of a developed India transcends superior infrastructure and requires the meaningful integration of the 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' mantra into policy-making. Emphasizing that making 50 percent of the population a part of policy formulation is an urgent demand, he pointed out that despite past delays, no party opposed the bill in principle during his extensive private consultations. Stating that history proves collective action ultimately favors the nation's democracy rather than individual political entities, he emphasized that the credit belongs to the entire House rather than just the treasury benches or himself. "Therefore, I feel there is absolutely no need to give this a political color, as everyone's true benefit lies in supporting it," affirmed Shri Modi.

Reflecting on his past as an organizational worker outside formal governance, the Prime Minister recalled prevalent corridor discussions questioning the selective ease with which reservations were granted at the Panchayat level. He noted that leaders were comfortable allocating quotas in Panchayats simply because they did not fear losing their own immediate positions or power. Pointing out the deep-seated reluctance of higher officials to implement quotas that threatened their own stakes, Shri Modi observed, “ This protective mindset allowed local reservations to successfully reach 50 percent without affecting the Parliament.”

Warning against underestimating historical shifts, the Prime Minister stated that unlike 25 or 30 years ago, opposition to women's rights today resonates deeply below the political surface. Pointing out that a profound political consciousness has developed, he noted that the millions of women who have won Panchayat elections have evolved from silent observers into highly vocal grassroots opinion makers. Acknowledging that these experienced women have deeply managed public grievances, he observed that they are now highly agitated and demanding inclusion in the primary decision-making processes of the Legislative Assemblies and Parliament. Advising all ambitious politicians to recognize this shift, the Prime Minister emphasized that these millions of female leaders will now heavily influence future electoral outcomes across all constituencies. The Prime Minister urged the House to place complete trust in the understanding of the nation's women. He pointed out that once the 33 percent representation is achieved, female legislators will be perfectly capable of deciding further sub-allocations for different classes and groups without requiring patriarchal oversight. Acknowledging his own roots in an extremely backward community, he emphasized that his paramount constitutional duty is to take every section of society along. The Prime Minister affirmed that the Constitution remains strictly supreme for him, highlighting it as the very force that allowed a marginalized individual to assume such a massive national responsibility. "Why do we doubt their capabilities; let the women come forward and decide," noted Shri Modi.

Observing the phenomenal achievements across all spheres of life, the Prime Minister stated that women power is nowhere behind in elevating the pride and hoisting the flag of the nation. He remarked that mothers, sisters, and daughters are making immense and outstanding contributions that allow the entire country to hold its head high with pride. Questioning the rationale behind expending so much political energy to block such a highly capable demographic, he pointed out that integrating women into legislative bodies will exponentially increase the nation's overall capacity. The Prime Minister explicitly appealed to the lawmakers to evaluate this monumental step based on national interest rather than petty electoral calculus. "I appeal to you not to weigh this on the scales of politics," remarked Shri Modi.

Highlighting the immediate task at hand, the Prime Minister stated that the current opportunity demands unified thinking to secure women's participation in building a Viksit Bharat (developed India) with an open mind. He reiterated that while the entire nation will analyze the final legislative decision, the female electorate will scrutinize the underlying intentions even more closely. Warning the assembly of the consequences of political malice, he observed that any deliberate flaw in their intentions will face severe backlash. "The Nari Shakti of this country will never forgive any flaw in our intentions," stated Shri Modi.

Recalling the unanimous and joyous acceptance of the act in the new Parliament building in 2023, the Prime Minister noted that it successfully generated a positive, non-partisan atmosphere nationwide. Addressing concerns regarding census data and delimitation, PM Modi pointed out that historical timelines and the massive disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic clearly explained the implementation delays. Stating that extensive discussions in 2023 highlighted a widespread urgency to act quickly, he explained that while immediate implementation was impossible before 2024, missing the 2029 opportunity would permanently shatter public trust. The Prime Minister remarked that endless delays would make it impossible to convince the female demographic that the political establishment is truly committed to their empowerment. Noting that comprehensive structural and informal consultations have been held with political parties and activists, he observed that these dialogues are crucial to formulating a viable path forward. "It is the absolute demand of the time that we do not delay this any further," observed Shri Modi.

Issuing a stern reminder of constitutional duties, the Prime Minister stated that no member sitting in the House has the right to view the country in fragmented pieces or make geographically divided decisions. He emphasized that whether it is Kashmir or Kanyakumari, the sacred oaths taken by parliamentarians dictate a fundamental responsibility to act exclusively as one unified nation. Strongly condemning the baseless political whirlwinds created through absolute falsehoods, he stated from the sacred floor of the House that the new delimitation processes will absolutely not discriminate against any state or region. The Prime Minister affirmed that the demographic proportions established during previous governments will be strictly maintained, ensuring that seat increases occur fairly without any detrimental alterations. Asserting his total sincerity, he noted that he is fully prepared to use the strongest words of assurance, including regional terms in Tamil, to eliminate any need for political wordplay. "This decision-making process will absolutely not do injustice to anyone," affirmed Shri Modi.

Addressing the lawmakers, the Prime Minister stated that no one should operate under the arrogant illusion that they are magnanimously 'giving' something to the women of India, as it is their right. He emphasized that the entire political establishment is collectively guilty of withholding this right for decades, making this bill a necessary act of atonement. Pointing out the historical hypocrisy where politicians feigned support while systematically sabotaging the bill with technical caveats, he observed that the era of openly opposing the reservation is long gone. The Prime Minister affirmed that the women of the country can no longer be deceived by complex procedural excuses to delay progress. Urging the members to abandon their blockades, he argued that three decades of obstruction using various technical tangles is more than enough time to reflect on past failures. "You have stopped it for three decades, now you must finally do it," remarked Shri Modi.

Declaring a complete disinterest in claiming personal or party credit, he noted that a unified approach transforms the narrative entirely and neutralizes partisan gains. Elevating the philosophical context of the bill, the Prime Minister stated that women's participation in parliamentary democracy transcends mere statistical adjustments and represents India's profound cultural commitment as the Mother of Democracy. He pointed out that this very commitment successfully established 50 percent reservation in Panchayats across more than 20 states, yielding incredibly positive results. Reflecting on his extensive tenure as a Chief Minister, he shared that his firsthand experience with grassroots women's leadership revealed their highly effective and sensitive approach to problem-solving. The Prime Minister noted that female leaders consistently acted as vital catalysts in accelerating the broader journey of developmental progress through empathetic governance. Affirming that introducing this massive demographic into the House will infuse national policymaking with new strength, he observed that combining lived experience with factual logic multiplies legislative capability exponentially. "Their voices will become a powerful new strength and deeply enrich the House," noted Shri Modi.

The Prime Minister stated that there is an absolute abundance of highly experienced and capable women power in the country ready to serve. He pointed out that placing firm trust in these women will guarantee exceptional and highly beneficial contributions to the nation's governance. Acknowledging the female representatives already serving, he noted that they consistently present well-articulated and profound perspectives whenever given the floor. "They have already enriched the House wonderfully with their capable contributions," asserted Shri Modi.

Providing concrete data to support his stance, the Prime Minister stated that nearly 275 women are currently leading over 650 district panchayats, managing massive responsibilities and budgets that often exceed those of a central Cabinet Minister. He further noted that out of approximately 6,700 block panchayats, more than 2,700 are successfully functioning under the direct and capable leadership of women. Pointing out their urban influence, he observed that women are powerfully directing local bodies, serving as Mayors and standing committee heads in over 900 cities. The Prime Minister affirmed that passing the reservation bill is a critical opportunity for the nation to gratefully acknowledge and repay the profound debt owed to these grassroots leaders for the country's rapid progress. "When this vast administrative experience joins the House, it will multiply our strength immensely," remarked Shri Modi.

Shri Modi observed that the current moment demands breaking free from past limitations to courageously ensure the active participation of women power in national development. Firmly urging the House to advance the legislation with total unanimity, he noted that a collective consensus generates positive pressure on the treasury benches to honor everyone's rights without harm. "We get many exceptional results from collective strength," affirmed Shri Modi.

Concluding his primary arguments, the Prime Minister reiterated that half of the population possesses an undeniable right to sit in the House. Addressing debates regarding seat numbers, he noted that expanding the total seats accommodates the 33 percent quota smoothly without displacing existing members or violating established rights. Shri Modi noted that the new Parliament building was specifically pre-planned to house this additional legislative strength.

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Today I have come to speak on a very important subject, especially to the mothers, sisters, and daughters of the country! Today every citizen of India is watching how the flight of women power has been stopped. Their dreams have been ruthlessly crushed. Despite our utmost efforts, we could not succeed, the amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act could not be passed! And for this, I seek forgiveness from all the mothers and sisters.

Friends,

For us, national interest is paramount, but when for some people party interest becomes everything, when party interest becomes bigger than national interest, then women power and national interest have to bear the consequences. This time too, the same has happened. The selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC, and Samajwadi Party has harmed the women power of the country.

Friends,

Yesterday, the eyes of crores of women in the country were on Parliament, the women power of the nation was watching. I too felt very sad to see that when this proposal in favor of women fell, parties like Congress, DMK, TMC, and SP, family-oriented parties, were clapping with joy. By snatching away the rights of women, they were thumping the tables. What they did was not just thumping on the tables, it was a blow to the self-respect and dignity of women. And women forget everything, but they never forget their insult. Therefore, the pain of the behavior of Congress and its allies in Parliament will always remain in the hearts of women. Whenever the women of the country see these leaders in their areas, they will remember that it was these very people who celebrated in Parliament when women’s reservation was stopped, they rejoiced. To those parties who opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan amendment in Parliament yesterday, I will say clearly: these people are taking women power for granted. They are forgetting that the women of the 21st century are watching every event in the country, they are sensing their intentions, and they have fully understood the truth. Therefore, for opposing women’s reservation, the sin committed by the opposition will surely bring punishment to them. These parties have also insulted the sentiments of the framers of the Constitution, and they will not escape the punishment from the people either.

Friends,

The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was not about taking anything away from anyone. The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was about giving something to everyone, it was an amendment to give. It was about giving women the right that has been pending for 40 years, from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections onwards.

The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was a great effort to give new opportunities, new flight, and to remove obstacles from the path of the women of 21st century India. It was a sacred effort made with clear intent and honesty to give rights to 50% of the country’s population. It was an effort to make women co-travelers in India’s journey of development and to include everyone. The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment is the demand of the time. The Nari Shakti Vandan amendment was an effort to equally increase the strength of every state, North, South, East, West. It was an effort to give more strength to the voice of every state in Parliament. Whether the state is small or big, whether the population is less or more, it was an effort to increase everyone’s strength in equal proportion. But this honest effort has been subjected to foeticide in Parliament by Congress and its allies, foeticide. Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, DMK—these parties are guilty of this foeticide. They are criminals against the Constitution of the country, they are criminals against the women power of the country.

Friends,

Congress hates the subject of women’s reservation, it has always conspired to stop women’s reservation. Every time efforts were made in this direction, Congress obstructed them. This time too, Congress and its allies relied on one falsehood after another to stop women’s reservation. Sometimes about numbers, sometimes in other ways, Congress and its allies tried to mislead the country. By doing so, these parties have revealed their true face before the women power of India. They have removed their mask.

Friends,

Personally, I had hoped that Congress would correct its decades-old mistake. Congress would repent for its sins. But Congress lost the opportunity to create history, to stand in favor of women. Congress has already lost its existence in most parts of the country. Congress is surviving like a parasite, riding on the back of regional parties. But Congress does not even want regional parties to grow stronger, so Congress conspired politically to push the future of many regional parties into darkness by making them oppose this amendment.

Friends,

Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, TMC, and other parties have, for so many years, every time created the same excuses, the same false arguments, always inserting some technical snag, and they have looted the rights of women. The country has understood this ugly pattern of politics, and it has also understood the reason behind it.

Brothers and sisters,

One big reason for the opposition to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act is the fear of these family-oriented parties. They fear that if women become empowered, then the leadership of these family-oriented parties will be in danger. They will never want women outside their families to move forward. Today, in Panchayats and local bodies, thousands and millions of women have proven their capability. When they want to move forward into Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies, when they want to serve the country, these family-oriented parties feel insecure. After delimitation, there will be many more seats for women, women’s stature will increase, and that is why these people opposed the Nari Shakti Vandan amendment. The women power of the country will never forgive Congress and its allies for this sin.

My dear countrymen,

Congress and its allied parties are continuously, continuously lying about delimitation. They want to ignite the fire of division under this pretext. Because “divide and rule” politics is something Congress inherited from the British. And Congress is still running on that same path today. Congress has always fueled sentiments that create rifts in the country. Therefore, this lie was spread that delimitation would harm some states! Whereas the government has made it clear from the very first day that neither the proportion of participation of any state will change, nor will anyone’s representation be reduced. In fact, the seats of all states will increase in equal proportion. Yet Congress, DMK, TMC, and Samajwadi Party were not ready to accept this.

Friends,

This amendment bill was an opportunity for all parties and all states. If this bill had passed, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, every state’s seats would have increased. But because of their selfish politics, these parties betrayed even the people of their own states. For example, DMK had the chance to make more Tamil people MPs and MLAs, to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s voice! But it lost that chance. TMC also had the chance to advance the people of Bengal. But TMC too lost that chance. Samajwadi Party had the chance to reduce the stain of its anti-women image. But SP missed it too. SP has already forgotten Lohia ji. By opposing the Nari Shakti Vandan amendment, SP trampled all of Lohia ji’s dreams underfoot. SP is anti-women reservation, and the women of UP and the country will never forget this.

Friends,

By opposing women’s reservation, Congress has once again proved one thing. Congress is an anti-reform party. For a developed India in the 21st century, whatever decisions, whatever reforms are necessary, whatever decisions the country takes, Congress opposes them, rejects them, obstructs them. This is the history of Congress and this is Congress’s negative politics.

Friends,

This is the same Congress that opposed the trinity of Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile. Congress opposed digital payments. Congress opposed GST. Congress opposed reservation for the poor in the general category. Congress opposed the law against triple talaq. Congress opposed the removal of Article 370. Our Constitution, our courts, have said that the Uniform Civil Code, UCC, is necessary, but Congress opposes that too. At the very mention of reform, Congress runs with placards of protest. Any work that strengthens the country, Congress puts all its strength into creating obstacles in it. Congress opposes One Nation One Election. Congress opposes driving out infiltrators from the country. Congress opposes purification of the voter list, SIR. Congress opposes reforms in the Waqf Board.

Friends,

Congress even opposed the CAA law that gave security to refugees. By lying and spreading rumors, it created a storm in the country. Congress obstructs the country’s efforts to end Maoist–Naxalite violence. Congress has had only one pattern: whenever a reform comes, lie, spread confusion. History is witness, Congress has always chosen this negative path.

Friends,

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, obstruction—this was Congress’s principle, this was Congress’s work culture. Congress delayed border disputes with neighboring countries. Congress 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.

Friends,

This 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.

Friends,

Some people are calling the breaking of the dreams of the women of the country 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!

Friends,

The fight to give women power participation has been going on for decades. For years, I too have been among those making efforts for it. So many women have raised this subject before me. So many sisters have written letters to me explaining everything. My country’s mothers, sisters, daughters—I 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. 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. It 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. Thank you all very much.