Kharge Says Modi Targeted Congress Instead of Women’s Issues in National Speech

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using his national address on Saturday to attack political opponents rather than address the country following the defeat of the government’s Constitution amendment bill in Parliament.

In a post on X, Kharge said the Prime Minister had turned an official address into a partisan speech filled with accusations and false claims. He also alleged that official platforms had been misused during the election period, when the Model Code of Conduct is in force ahead of Assembly polls in two key states.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. The proposed legislation sought to increase the strength of the House from 543 to 850 seats to enable 33 per cent reservation for women before the 2029 general election. While 298 MPs supported the bill, 230 Opposition members voted against it.

The legislation was linked to the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act passed in 2023, which required delimitation and census-related processes before it could take effect.

During his 30-minute speech, Modi criticised Opposition parties for blocking reforms intended to improve women’s representation. He said he was disappointed that some leaders had reportedly welcomed the bill’s defeat, calling it disrespectful to women.

Kharge responded by claiming the Prime Minister focused more on attacking Congress than discussing women’s issues. He said Modi mentioned Congress 59 times, while women were barely referred to, arguing that this reflected the government’s real priorities.

The Congress leader insisted his party has consistently supported women’s reservation, pointing to its role in passing similar legislation in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 and backing the 2023 law. He also criticised delays in implementing the measure.

Kharge further issued three demands to the Prime Minister: immediate implementation of 33 per cent reservation within the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats, an end to linking women’s reservation with delimitation proposals, and a public apology to the people of India.

He also accused the BJP of failing women through both policy and conduct, citing several high-profile criminal cases and alleging that individuals accused or convicted of serious offences had received political protection.

Kharge concluded by saying that after more than a decade in office, the Prime Minister had offered the nation only a political speech instead of meaningful governance.