Opposition committed foeticide of govt's honest effort: PM Modi | Highlights

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Saturday, April 18, a day after the Constitution Amendment Bill linked to the Women’s Reservation failed to get a two-thirds majority for its passage in the Lok Sabha after Opposition parties did not back it. The proposed legislation, tied to the implementation of women’s reservation through delimitation, fell short after a long debate.

Here are highlights of the PM's address:

• Opposition committed foeticide of government's honest effort
• The country has witnessed that the dreams of women have been crushed
• Dreams of women of the country dashed
• We could not pass the Women Reservation Bill; we apologise for that

• When the bill was defeated, these dynastic parties were clapping

• Hoped that the Congress would rectify its decades-old mistake

• Hoped that it would atone for its sins

• However, Congress lost the opportunity to script history and stand in support of women

• Opposition parties have insulted our Constitution by defeating bill for women's reservation in legislatures

• The Women Reservation Bill was not to snatch anything but to give everyone something

• If this bill had been passed, the number of seats in every state would have increased

• The Opposition is taking nari shakti for granted

• The Women Reservation Bill was not to snatch anything