PM Modi Says Congress Approach Held Back India’s Development, Attacks Party Over Women's Bill Row

Blaming the Congress for what he described as decades of missed national progress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the party's political approach had prevented India from reaching the level of development it rightfully deserved.

Launching a sharp attack during his address to the nation, Modi said, "This approach of the Congress has caused significant harm to the country," as he linked the opposition's stand on the Women's Reservation Bill to a broader pattern of governance and political decision-making. He alleged that Congress' policies had repeatedly held back India's growth and suggested the latest parliamentary setback reflected the same mindset.

The Prime Minister's remarks formed part of a wider offensive against opposition parties after the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. By tying the bill's failure to Congress' larger political legacy, Modi sought to frame the setback not merely as a legislative defeat, but as an example of what he called a recurring obstacle to both social reform and national development.

The bill, which aimed to operationalise 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lower House on Friday night. It received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, while 352 votes were needed out of 528 members who voted. The proposal also included expanding Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 816 and increasing seats in state and Union Territory assemblies to facilitate the quota.