During a speech following the Lok Sabha's rejection of the 33% reservation bill for women, Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologized to women, stating their 'dreams were crushed.' He attributed the failure to opposition parties, including the Indian National Congress and others, accusing them of selfish politics. Modi characterized the opposition's reaction to the bill's defeat as an 'attack on women’s dignity,' warning that they would face political consequences for their actions. Despite this setback, he emphasized the government's determination to continue advocating for women's representation, stating that they would 'remove every obstacle' in their path. Modi also criticized the opposition for spreading fears around delimitation, framing it as a tactic learned from colonial politics. He reiterated his commitment to empowering women, asserting that the push for representation would not cease despite legislative challenges.