After the Women's Reservation Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's accusations of the Opposition committing female foeticide. Kharge labeled Modi 'desperate' and 'frustrated,' claiming he misused a national address for political attacks against Congress. He noted that Modi mentioned Congress 59 times while addressing women's issues only briefly, indicating the BJP's lack of priority for women's rights. Kharge reiterated Congress's historical support for women's representation, citing their passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2010. He criticized the BJP for its delayed actions and lack of commitment to women's empowerment, pointing to high crime rates against women in BJP-ruled states. Kharge urged Modi to apologize and stop spreading falsehoods regarding the Women's Reservation Bill, asserting that the BJP's actions are anti-women and serve to divide the electorate.