New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation following the failure of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, former IPS officer and ex-Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Kiran Bedi, said on Saturday that the Prime Minister’s messaging has rekindled hope.
Taking to the social media platform X, Kiran Bedi wrote, “The PM’s messaging has rekindled hope. Perhaps women will claim their rightful space in State Assemblies and Parliament well before 2029. Time will tell—but the momentum is unmistakable. #WomenReservationbill”
Earlier in the evening, PM Modi expressed deep regret and offered his apologies to the women of India after the Lok Sabha rejected the Constitutional Amendment Bill aimed at operationalising women’s reservation in Parliament and state assemblies.
He said the Bill, which sought to make necessary changes to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, dealing a setback to the long-pending empowerment initiative.
The Prime Minister described the development as a painful moment and reiterated his unwavering commitment to removing every obstacle to greater representation of women in legislative bodies.
He assured that his government would continue its efforts to ensure women get their due share in the country’s decision-making process.
PM Modi also targeted the Congress and its allies, accusing them of a historical aversion to women’s reservation and alleging that the Opposition had relied on misinformation and diversionary tactics, which he said had exposed their “true faces” before the women of the country.
“The Bill was not about credit. I even mentioned in Parliament that I will give credit to the Opposition,” the Prime Minister said.
He added: “We may not have got 66 per cent votes, but we have got the blessings of 100 per cent of women. We may not have had the numbers yesterday, but we will continue our fight.”
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament, failed to secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority.
A day earlier, when the Lok Sabha was to take up the Bill, Kiran Bedi wrote on X, “If Parliament misses passing the #WomensQuotaBill, women voters may decisively back those who commit to ensuring one-third representation in the 2029 Parliament and State Assemblies.”
She further stated, “It’s now clear – women are a decisive electoral force. Symbolic appeasement won’t suffice. They seek a real seat at the table and a direct role in shaping India’s future.”
–IANS
uk
