BANKURA (WB), Apr 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Trinamool Congress of “betraying” women by preventing the passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 in Parliament, and asserted that the women would punish the ruling party in West Bengal in the upcoming assembly polls.
Addressing an election rally at Bishnupur in Bankura district, Modi said the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, in collusion with the Congress, blocked the passage of the bill, which sought to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies, as it is “opposed to women’s empowerment”.
“We have seen how the TMC betrayed women in Parliament. The TMC conspired with the Congress to prevent the passage of the bill as it is against women’s empowerment,” he said.
“The BJP’s identity, on the other hand, is tied to women’s empowerment, and their safety and security. That is why women across the country shower the BJP with their blessings.
“We want the role of women to expand in building a developed India and want more and more women to enter politics. But West Bengal has seen once again how the TMC betrayed the state’s sisters and daughters,” the prime minister said.
Alleging that the TMC opposed both women’s reservation and empowerment, Modi said the ruling party would face the wrath of women voters in the state.
“The TMC does not want women’s empowerment and reservation. The women of West Bengal will punish it,” he said.
The prime minister’s remarks came two days after the BJP-led government failed to secure passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The bill sought to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls through a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Modi accused the TMC of practising politics of appeasement while denying representation to women.
“This is the same TMC which breaks every law and every rule to benefit infiltrators, but opposes women’s empowerment,” he said.
“This is the same TMC which is engaged in providing reservation on the basis of religion. It is strangling the spirit of the Constitution,” Modi alleged.
If voted to power in West Bengal, the BJP will provide up to Rs 1.5 lakh to women under PMAY to build homes, he said.
The prime minister also accused the TMC of insulting President Droupadi Murmu and being indifferent to tribal communities’ concerns.
“The anti-tribal TMC insulted President Droupadi Murmu. Both the TMC and the Congress are anti-tribal. That is why they fielded a candidate against
Droupadi Murmu in the presidential elections,” he said. Modi said this year’s West Bengal polls will be historic as people will end TMC’s ‘bhoy’ (fear) and give mandate to BJP’s ‘bharosa’ (trust).
“I give one last opportunity to TMC’s goons to surrender to police before polls as none would be spared after results on May 4,” he added. (Agencies)
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