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New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI): Opposition leaders slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Saturday address to the nation as politically motivated, lacking substance, and in violation of democratic norms, as it was delivered amid elections in several states.

They suggested that the address should be treated as a campaign speech and its cost added to the BJP's election expenditure, alleging it was a misuse of official platforms, as the Model Code of Conduct is in force in many states.

In a post on X, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha leader John Brittas said, "No PM has ever used a national address to openly criticise and target the opposition in this manner." He accused the prime minister of breaking a "long-standing democratic norm" with his address to the nation to criticise the Opposition.

"By directly attacking opposition over the Women's Reservation Bill and likening their actions to 'foeticide' and being 'anti-women', this speech has made it evident that the BJP is willing to go to any extent to undermine healthy parliamentary conventions and constitutional traditions," he said on X.

"It's evident that Govt has lost its balance after the drubbing it got in the Loksabha yesterday," Brittas added.

CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar called the address "hollow" and "devoid of any meaningful content." "The Prime Minister has offered no explanation, no accountability, only repetition of a manufactured narrative meant to hide the government's own failure. This was not an address to the nation, but an attempt to deflect responsibility through rhetoric," he wrote.

He accused the government of "blatant abuse" of the Model Code of Conduct in force in five states through the use of public broadcasters like Doordarshan and Sansad TV for partisan messaging, and termed it "deeply condemnable." "By its own gazette notification dated 16 April 2026, the government has already operationalised women's reservation. If reservation exists, what exactly was this political drama for?" he asked.

"The crocodile tears shed today cannot conceal this calculated design," Kumar added.

RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said Modi's address to the nation appeared in reality to be an "election speech." "In such a situation, I would humbly request that it be added to his election expenditure," he said.

"To uphold the dignity of both the Election Commission and the office of the Prime Minister, such speeches delivered using government resources should be included in the election expenses of the concerned party, that is, the BJP," he said in a post on X.

TMC leader Saket Gokhale challenged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to "add the cost of Modi's TV speech tonight to BJP's election expense account" if he has the "guts." "On a side note, a leader who is confident does not act so desperate. Modi's feeble attempt tonight in the middle of two state elections shows that he's shaken," he said.

The former Rajya Sabha MP called it a sign of the "impending downfall" of the prime minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"They're both losing their grip and it's showing clearly. Countdown begins starting with Bengal," he added.

CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby derided Modi's address as a "sorry face-saving attempt filled with mere rhetoric." He said it came "in the face of the utter humiliation suffered in the Lok Sabha" when the Constitution amendment bill was defeated by the opposition unity.

"Women's reservation in Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies can be and should be implemented right away, without any linkages to delimitation or the Census," he said.

"Yet, the ruling government refused to introduce amendments to do the same, both in 2023 and now," he said on X.

Baby accused the prime minister of using "theatrics to hide the fact that he and his party were merely using women as pawns to execute a devious political strategy will not work." "He stands truly exposed," he said.

In his address on Saturday, the prime minister warned the Congress and its allies of severe punishment from the women for the "sin of foeticide." Modi apologised to the women and said the government may have lost the vote, but it will never give up its efforts to empower women.

"The Congress and its allies have committed foeticide of the honest effort in front of the entire country in the House. Parties like the Congress, DMK, TMC and the SP are guilty of this foeticide," he said.

The address was delivered in the wake of the defeat in the Lok Sabha of a Constitution Amendment Bill, brought by the government, to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats and implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures from 2029 under Nari Shakti Vandhan Adhiniyan. PTI AO VN VN

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)