West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a blistering counterattack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (April 19), labelling his Saturday night’s address to the nation “cowardly, hypocritical, and fork-tongued” for allegedly misleading the nation on women’s reservation bill.
In a detailed X post, she clarified TMC’s support for higher female political representation while slamming the government’s bundling of the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ with delimitation as a federal assault.
It is deeply unfortunate that the Prime Minister chose to mislead the nation rather than address it honestly.
Let me put this on record. Trinamool Congress has always championed higher political representation for women. We have the highest proportion of female elected…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 19, 2026
Mamata Banerjee rejects ‘betrayal’ charge, highlights TMC’s women record
Bengal CM Banerjee refuted PM Modi’s accusation — raised in a Bishnupur rally and national address — that TMC “betrayed Bengal’s women” by opposing the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, which fell in Lok Sabha on Friday. TMC boasts the highest women MPs (37.9 per cent in Lok Sabha, 46 per cent in Rajya Sabha), proving its championship of female leaders. “The question of opposing women’s reservation never arises,” she asserted, accusing Narendra Modi of using women as a “shield” for BJP’s political agenda.
Delimitation as ‘assault on federal democracy’
TMC’s opposition targeted the linked Delimitation Bill, which CM Banerjee called it an attempt to redraw constituencies favoring BJP states, eroding Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution. She questioned the three-year delay since the 2023 Women’s Reservation Bill and its rushed poll-time coupling with elections underway.
“Why couple it with delimitation if serious about women?” she asked, vowing to resist power grabs harming non-BJP states.
Mamata Banerjee urged PM Modi to address Parliament for scrutiny, not evade via broadcasts. “Have the courage…where you face challenge and accountability,” the CM said. She framed his speech as desperation amid slipping power, echoing PM Modi’s claim that opposition’s “sin” insults women’s pride. This exchange intensifies BJP-TMC rivalry ahead of West Bengal’s polls.
West Bengal Assembly Election 2026
The West Bengal Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 (Thursday) and April 29 (Wednesday), with the counting of votes set for May 4. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP, which secured 77 seats in the previous election, is making a renewed push to form the government in the state.