Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday apologised to the nation's "mothers and daughters" following the defeat of the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament as he tore into the opposition over what he called "foeticide" of women's rights due to its "petty politics".

Hitting out at the Opposition, the PM said, “They were celebrating after the bill wasn’t passed; this is a slap to the women of the country and a blot on women’s dignity.”

“The Nari Shakti Bill is the demand of the time. It did not intend to snatch anything from anyone; it was aimed at providing women with what they truly deserve,” PM Modi said, adding, “Those who opposed this bill have taken women for granted.”

In his televised address, PM Modi said he had expected the Opposition, including the Congress, DMK and Samajwadi Party, to support the bill, but, according to him, the Congress “repeated its history of not supporting the Bill.”

“The motive behind not supporting this bill was that these parties believe their politics would be threatened if it were passed,” the PM said.