‘Parasite’ To ‘Divide And Rule’: PM Modi’s Sharpest Attacks On Congress Over Women’s Quota Blockade | Top Quotes

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday delivered a forceful address to the nation, directly taking on the Congress, DMK, TMC, Samajwadi Party and other Opposition parties for their stance on the women’s reservation bill. He said the country’s women had watched Parliament closely and were left disheartened when the measure, which he described as central to women’s welfare, failed to pass. The Prime Minister accused those who opposed the bill of celebrating the outcome, arguing that their reaction amounted to an attack on the self-respect and dignity of women. 

PM Modi insisted that while women often forgive, they do not forget insults, and the memory of how the Opposition behaved in the House would remain with them when they next encounter those leaders in their constituencies. 

Calling the legislation as a demand of the time, PM Narendra Modi said it was meant to make women equal partners in India’s development and to strengthen representation from every region, including North, South, East and West. He pledged that his government would clear “every obstacle” in the way of women’s reservation, stressing that the resolve of the BJP and NDA to empower women was unshaken.

‘They Clapped When Women’s Rights Were Taken Away’

The Prime Minister said he was deeply saddened to see what happened in the Parliament. He noted, as millions of women across the country looked on, the parties, including the Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party, responded to the bill’s defeat with applause and table-thumping. In his view, that celebration came at the cost of women’s rights and amounted to rejoicing while those rights were snatched away. 

Addressing the country, he asserted that such conduct had hurt the self-esteem of women and would not be forgotten. “Women forget everything, but they never forget their own insults,” he said, adding that the pain caused by the Opposition’s behaviour would linger in “every woman’s heart”. He argued that women of the 21st century are closely tracking events, understand political intent, and are fully aware of the truth behind such moves.

The Prime Minister sought to make a direct electoral link, saying that whenever women see these leaders in their areas, they will recall that “these same people celebrated and rejoiced when women’s reservation was blocked in Parliament”. He predicted that the Opposition would “surely be punished for the sin they have committed by opposing women’s reservation”.

Congress Accused Of Blocking Reforms, Misleading On Delimitation

During his speech, PM Modi blasted the Congress, which he described as an “anti-reform party” that has repeatedly obstructed decisions needed for a developed India. He said he had personally hoped the Congress would correct a “decades-old mistake” and support women, but it had instead “lost the opportunity to script history”.

He alleged that the Congress party, having lost its base in most regions, now “piggyrides regional parties like a parasite” to stay relevant, yet does not want those allies to grow stronger. According to him, the Congress pushed others to oppose the amendment as part of a “political conspiracy” that would damage the future of several regional parties. He cited the DMK as an example, saying it had missed a chance to send more representatives from Tamil Nadu to the Parliament and amplify the state’s voice.

On procedural objections, the Prime Minister said the Congress and its allies had for years used the “same excuses and flawed arguments”, raising questions on numbers or citing other reasons to mislead the country. He accused them of creating “technical obstacles” that deprived women of their rights and said the country had now seen through this “consistent pattern”. He further charged the Congress and allied parties with spreading “lies about delimitation” to stoke division, claiming the party had inherited a “divide and rule” legacy from the British and still practised it by encouraging sentiments that split the country.

PM Frames Bill As National, Not Partisan

Prime Minister Modi repeatedly positioned the Women’s Reservation Amendment as a unifying measure for national development rather than a partisan victory. He said it was an effort to bring everyone together and ensure “equal strengthening of the power of all states”. Had the bill passed, he noted, seat numbers would have risen in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and every other state.

He stressed that by opposing it, parties had betrayed their own people out of “self-serving politics”. Singling out the Samajwadi Party, he said women in Uttar Pradesh and across India would not forget its stand. He asserted that the issue was never about “success or failure or credit”, recalling that he had told the Parliament he would give credit and publicity to all Opposition members if women received their rightful share. Those with a “regressive mindset”, he said, remained unmoved.

PM Narendra Modi listed a series of reforms he said the Congress had opposed over the years, including Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, digital payments, GST, reservation for economically weaker sections, the law against triple talaq, and the removal of Article 370, to reinforce his charge that the party consistently chooses a “negative path”. He also cited long-pending issues such as border disputes, water-sharing rows with Pakistan, the 40-year delay in OBC reservation, and the decades-long wait for ‘One Rank, One Pension’ as examples of what he called Congress’s damaging approach.

Assurance To Women And Political Warning

Summing up his address, the Prime Minister returned to his core pledge to women. “I assure every woman in the country that we will remove every obstacle in the path of women’s reservation….Our determination is strong, our courage is unwavering, and our resolve is firm,” the PM said. He insisted that parties opposing the bill would not be able to stop women’s participation in the Parliament and state assemblies, saying it was “only a matter of time”.

PM Modi's speech sought to reassure women that the government remains committed to the quota, and frame the Opposition’s parliamentary position as a political and moral failure that voters will remember. By invoking specific parties, linking the bill to development, and recalling past policy battles, Prime Minister Modi turned the stalled legislation into a bigger indictment of his rivals’ record on reform and inclusion. 

At the end, the message to the Opposition in his address was blunt, saying that the women of the country are watching, and they will respond.

Top points of PM Modi’s address to the nation on the Women’s Reservation Bill:

• Opposition celebrated defeat of bill: PM Modi said he was deeply saddened that Congress, DMK, TMC, and Samajwadi Party were “clapping with joy” and “thumping the table” when the women’s welfare proposal was defeated. He called it an attack on women’s self-respect and self-esteem.
• Women won’t forget the insult: PM Modi said women may forget everything but never their own insults. The pain of the Opposition’s behaviour in Parliament will stay in every woman’s heart, and they will remember it when they see these leaders in their constituencies.
• Congress missed a chance to atone: Prime Minister Modi said he had hoped Congress would rectify its “decades-old mistake” and support women, but it lost the opportunity to “script history”. He called Congress a “parasite” that piggybacks on regional parties yet doesn’t want them to grow stronger.
• Bill was for national development: The Prime Minister said that the Women’s Reservation Amendment was framed as a “demand of the time” to make women partners in India’s development journey and ensure equal strengthening of all states, including North, South, East, and West.
• Pattern of obstruction alleged: PM Modi said Congress has “always hated” women’s reservation and, along with allies, has repeatedly created “technical obstacles” using excuses about numbers and other arguments to mislead the country and deprive women of rights.
• Accused Congress of ‘divide and rule’: PM Narendra Modi alleged Congress and allies are spreading “lies about delimitation” to ignite division. He said the party learned “divide and rule” from the British and still encourages sentiments that split the country.
• Warning to Opposition: PM Modi said parties opposing the Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment are taking women’s power for granted. Women of the 21st century are monitoring every event and understand their intentions, so the Opposition will “surely be punished for the sin” of opposing the bill.
• States lost out due to Opposition: The Prime Minister stressed that if passed, the bill would have increased seats in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and all states. He said DMK missed a chance to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s voice, and SP’s stand won’t be forgotten by women in UP.
• Branded Congress ‘anti-reform’: By opposing the bill, PM Modi said Congress proved it is an “anti-reform party” that opposes decisions needed for Viksit Bharat. He listed Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, digital payments, GST, EWS quota, triple talaq law, and Article 370 removal as other reforms Congress opposed.
• PM cites Congress’s record of delays: PM Narendra Modi said history shows Congress chose a “negative path” and delayed border disputes, water-sharing with Pakistan, OBC reservation for 40 years, and ‘One Rank, One Pension’ for soldiers for 40 years, harming India’s development.
• Issue not about credit: Responding to criticism, Prime Minister Modi said the matter was never about success, failure, or credit. He had offered to give credit to the Opposition if women got their rightful share, but those with a “regressive mindset” remained firm.
• Firm assurance to women: PM Modi assured every woman that the government would remove “every obstacle” to women’s reservation. Calling the BJP and NDA’s commitment “unshaken”, he said opposition parties cannot stop women’s participation in Parliament and Assemblies, “it is only a matter of time”.