A day after The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was defeated in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his address to the nation at 8.30 PM Saturday (18 April 2026).
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister addressed an election rally in Coimbatore, where he said that the BJP-led NDA “is set to win” in Tamil Nadu.
He began his address by attacking the Opposition.
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PM Modi address to the nation | LIVE UPDATES
9 pm: ‘Not having 2/3rd majority doesn’t mean we’re defeated’
Concluding his address to the nation, Modi said not having two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha—required for passage of a constitutional amendment—does not mean the BJP is defeated.
8.55 pm: ‘It was never about taking credit’
Reiterating what he said in Lok Sabha the previous day, Modi said he had appealed to all parties that The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was never about taking credit.
“Congress and its allies have committed a foeticide of this endeavour in Parliament in front of everyone. Parties like Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party and DMK are responsible for this,” he said.
Modi also accused the Opposition of “lying” about delimitation.
“They want to fan the flames of partition under this pretext. Congress took the politics of divide and rule as its legacy from the British,” he said.
8.45 pm: ‘Oppn lost opportunity’
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was an opportunity for all states, big or small, Modi said. He then accused the Opposition of cheating the people in their own state.
Modi went on to accuse the Congress of being ‘anti-reform’ and the Samajwadi Party of being ‘anti-women’s reservation’.
“I will say clearly to those parties who opposed Nari Shakti Vandan Amendment in Parliament yesterday, they’re taking women’s power for granted. They’re forgetting that women of the 21st Century are closely monitoring every event in the country. They understand their intentions and are fully aware of the truth. The Opposition will surely be punished for the sin they have committed by opposing women’s reservation,” he said.
Adding, “There’s a big reason behind opposition to Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. It’s the fear of these dynastic parties. They’re scared that if women get empowered, the leadership of these dynastic parties will be threatened.”
“Had the Bill been passed, seats in Tamil Nadu, Bengal, UP, Keralam and every state would’ve increased. But due to their selfish politics, these parties betrayed the people of their own states. DMK had the opportunity to make even more Tamils, MPs and MLAs. It could’ve further strengthened the voice of Tamil Nadu. But it lost that opportunity. TMC too had the opportunity to push forward the people of Bengal,” he said.
8.40 pm: ‘Congress a parasite’
In his address to the nation, Modi said that women voters will not forgive the Opposition for opposing The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026.
He said it pained him when Opposition MPs were thumping their desks and clapping after the constitutional amendment was defeated.
“I was deeply saddened to see, when this proposal for women’s welfare was defeated, dynastic parties like the Congress, DMK, TMC, and Samajwadi Party were clapping with joy. These people were thumping the table after snatching away women’s rights…this was an attack on women’s self-respect and self-esteem,” he said.
Adding, “Nation’s welfare is our priority, but for some people political benefit becomes even bigger than the nation’s welfare, the women of the country have to bear the burden for this. The same happened this time as well…the country’s ‘Nari Shakti’ had to bear the burden of the selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and Samajwadi Party.”
Calling out the Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK and Trinamool Congress by name, Modi accused the Congress of being a ‘parasite’ that is dependent on regional allies for survival.
8.35 pm: Modi attacks Oppn
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his address to the nation by attacking the Opposition for defeating The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026.
“Every citizen of this country is witnessing how women’s progress has stalled…despite our best efforts, we didn’t succeed. Amendments couldn’t be made to the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam. And I apologise to all the mothers and sisters of the nation for this,” Modi said.
Moved for passage during a special session of Parliament, The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, tied the process of granting 33 percent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies to the delimitation exercise.
Opposition parties, while repeatedly reiterating their support for women’s reservation, opposed the move to link it with delimitation.
8 pm: Prime Minister to address nation in half hour
The Prime Minister’s address to the nation is set to begin at 8.30 pm.
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