PM Modi says: Family-run parties fear women’s empowerment will hurt own political interests :::::: "Crime of female foeticide" ... is harshest adjective to stick against Opposition

PM Narendra Modi's use of the imagery of "bhrun hatya" (female foeticide) for the killing of the Nari Shakti Vandan bill has hit the Opposition hard by associating it with a 'hideous crime'. 

"This was an attempt to give more voice to every state... Whether states are small or big, whether they have more population or less. But the Congress and its allies committed foeticide of this honest attempt in front of the whole country," Modi said.

It was also Modi's way of sending a reminder to India's women of his government's popular Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, which helped in curbing female foeticide and bettering India's sex ratio at birth.

PM Modi addressed the nation on Saturday and lashed out at the Opposition for defeating the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill. The Bill, which would have reserved 33% of seats in Parliament and state Assemblies, was defeated in voting on Friday in the Lok Sabha. This was the first legislative defeat for the Modi government in 12 years and also a rare occasion in his career as a Neta.  

In a sharply worded address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday apologised for the government’s inability to push amendments to the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam, while launching a blistering attack on the Opposition, accusing it of derailing women’s empowerment for political gain.

“Despite our best efforts, we have not succeeded. Amendments could not be made in the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam. I apologise to all the mothers and sisters of the nation,” the Prime Minister said, striking a conciliatory note at the outset.

However, the tone quickly turned combative as Modi accused parties like the Indian National Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress, and Samajwadi Party of blocking a long-pending reform. 

He alleged that these parties had effectively committed a “foeticide” of women’s rights by opposing the legislation.  

Women have endured crimes just because they are women. And the worst of those crimes is female foeticide. That is snuffing out a life determining the sex of the foetus right in the womb. It was a powerful signal from Modi and several opposition leaders feel the 'adjective' would stick. 

“The Bill had no intent to deprive anyone. This right for women has been pending for 40 years,” Modi said, adding that what transpired in Parliament was “not just desk-thumping, but an attack on the dignity and self-respect of women.”

Framing the issue as part of a broader ideological divide, the Prime Minister accused Congress of consistently opposing key reforms. 

“Congress has proved itself to be an anti-reform party. It opposed One Nation, One Election, action against infiltrators, Waqf Board reforms, and even misled the nation on CAA,” he said, alleging a pattern of “lies and misinformation.”

In one of his strongest remarks, Modi said, “Congress today survives like a parasite, piggybacking on regional parties.” He further claimed that the party not only depends on regional allies but also undermines their growth. “It has harmed several regional parties and pushed their political future into darkness,” he added.

The Prime Minister also invoked historical criticism, accusing Congress of continuing a “divide and rule” approach. “This is a policy it learned from the British,” he said, while alleging that family-run parties fear women’s empowerment as it could disrupt entrenched political interests.

"The women of this nation, whenever they encounter these leaders in their own neighbourhoods, will remember. 

They will remember that these are the very individuals who celebrated and rejoiced in the halls of Parliament when the hope for women's reservation was extinguished," PM Modi said.