CPI asks PM Modi to apologise to women over 'cold storage' of Reservation Act

Thiruvananthapuram, The CPI, a key constituent of the LDF in Kerala, on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to women across the country for allegedly keeping the Women's Reservation Act in "cold storage" after it was passed in 2023.

The demand was made by CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam after the Prime Minister, in his address to the nation, sought forgiveness from women and accused the Congress and other opposition parties of "mercilessly crushing" their dreams by not allowing the Women's Reservation Bill to pass in Parliament despite the government's efforts.

Viswam alleged that the Prime Minister, through his statements, was attempting to "hide the shame of the defeat of his political strategy"- referring to the move to reintroduce the Act by linking it with delimitation and the census.


He further claimed that the Prime Minister should apologise for what he described as the "misogyny of the RSS", which, according to him, does not grant primary membership to women and instead operates the Rashtra Sevika Samiti.

The CPI leader also said that Modi should apologise "for keeping President Droupadi Murmu away from the inauguration of the new Parliament building, for the atrocities suffered by women in Manipur, and for treating women as second-class citizens and undermining their dignity across the country".

He further alleged that the PM views "women as tools for political gain".