Modi Accuses TMC Over Failed Women's Quota Bill in Bengal Rallies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while campaigning in West Bengal for the 2026 Assembly elections on Sunday, April 19, 2026, launched a scathing attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing the party of "betraying women" by obstructing the passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to provide 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. Speaking at multiple rallies, including one in Bishnupur, Bankura, PM Modi alleged that TMC, in collusion with the Indian National Congress, conspired to block the legislation. The Prime Minister specifically claimed that TMC did not want more women from Bengal to become MLAs and MPs because they challenged the party's 'Maha Jungle Raj' in the state. He emphasized that women's empowerment, safety, and security are central to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) agenda, contrasting it with the alleged actions of the TMC and predicting electoral punishment from women voters in the upcoming polls. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, intended to implement a one-third women's reservation, failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on Friday, April 17, 2026. The bill received 298 votes in favor and 230 against, falling short of the 352 votes needed for its passage out of 528 members present. This marks a significant legislative setback, particularly as it was the first time in 12 years that a constitutional amendment proposed by the Modi government failed to pass Parliament. A key point of contention surrounding the bill was its linkage to a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 census, which would redraw parliamentary constituencies and potentially increase the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to about 850. This aspect drew strong criticism from opposition parties, including the TMC. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on April 17, 2026, clarified TMC's position, stating that while her party would support the Women's Reservation Bill, they vehemently opposed the Delimitation Bill. Banerjee accused the Modi government of using the women's reservation as a "disguise" to alter the country's electoral process through delimitation. She questioned the "hurriedness" in bringing the Constitutional Amendment Bill in the midst of ongoing assembly elections and suggested that the BJP's true motive was to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats, as PM Modi might not win with the existing count. The TMC supremo also highlighted that her party already has a significant representation of women, with over 40% of its MPs being women, which she claimed is the highest in Parliament. She further noted that TMC had fielded 52 women candidates in the upcoming Bengal assembly polls, surpassing other parties. PM Modi's rallies in West Bengal, including Bishnupur, Purulia, Jhargram, and Medinipur, were part of an intensive campaign tour focusing on consolidating support ahead of the assembly elections. He also used the platform to criticize TMC's alleged "cut-money culture and deep-rooted corruption" and accused TMC and Congress of being "anti-tribal" for opposing President Droupadi Murmu in presidential polls. The political discourse highlights the deep divisions ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026, with the women's reservation bill becoming a major flashpoint. The BJP blames the opposition, particularly TMC and Congress, for blocking women's empowerment, while the opposition accuses the BJP of political opportunism and attempting to manipulate electoral boundaries.

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