Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public meeting ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections in Cooch Behar, West Bengal on April 5, 2026. Photo: narendramodi.in via PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to woo women voters in West Bengal on Sunday (April 5, 2026), saying his party was committed to “genuine empowerment of women” through 33% reservation.
At a public meeting in Cooch Behar, Mr. Modi said there was a need to increase the role of women in decision-making of the country. “Hence, the government has scheduled a special session of Parliament on April 16, 17 and 18. This right of our mothers and sisters has been going on for 40 years. Our government has passed a law to provide 33% reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies,” he said.
He added that ensuring reservation for women was the responsibility of all parties and urged them to work together on the issue.
Mr. Modi reiterated that states that have done well in population control will not lose seats during delimitation. “From Cooch Behar, I am again assuring all states that those who have done a good job in population control will not face any loss in terms of seats. All will benefit. Participation of all states and rights of all will be protected,” he said.
Mr Modi said the government wanted to ensure in Parliament “that more seats are created for women so that states can benefit greatly”. Reservation will be implemented from the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
Women voters are key to the outcome of the 2026 West Bengal elections.They are influenced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government’s welfare schemes, especially cash incentive schemes for women. The BJP tried to win them over by raising issues of crimes against women, especially by fielding the mother of a doctor who was raped and killed at RG Kar Hospital in August 2024.
The prime minister also referred to the alleged atrocities on women in Sandeshkhali, saying, “On one side are the cries of sisters and daughters subjected to brutal atrocities like those in Sandeshkhali. On the other side is Modi’s guarantee of safety, dignity and empowerment of women.”
Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose accused the saffron party of hypocrisy on women’s issues. “Shri @narendramodi talks about women’s reservation bill and ‘nari shakti’. Modi insults women leaders; insults Bengal CM @MamataOfficial with his ‘Didi oh didi’ taunts, @BJP4India @BJP4India has crowned rape convicts and ticketed sex offenders. JP4man. their hypocrisy towards women representation is glaring,” she posted. on social networks.
West Bengal will go to polls in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
“Maha Jungle Raj”
Highlighting the gherao of seven court officials in Malda’s Motabari on April 1, Mr Modi described the incident as a reflection of the “maha jungleraj sponsored by the Trinamool Congress”.
He said that the Trinamool government does not attach much importance to any constitutional institution and the Malda incident is a reflection of that. “Law-abiding citizens were shocked by the way judicial officials were held hostage. What kind of government is this where even judges are not safe? How can you expect the safety of common people from such a government… The situation is so bad that the country’s highest court had to intervene,” Modi said.
The judicial officers involved in the trial, according to the SIR, were later rescued by security personnel after several hours. 35 people were arrested in connection with the incident and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the investigation.
The main accused, Moffakerul Islam, had contested the 2021 parliamentary polls from Itahar as an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate. He was also arrested.
Published – 05 Apr 2026 22:33 IST
