New Delhi, April 18 -- Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his address criticising the opposition for not favouring the Constitution Amendment Bill that sought to increase Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850 and subsequently, operationalise the women's reservation law.

He said that the PM's address to the nation was a "pathetic, partisan and polemical attack" and a "distress address" instead.

"A sitting Prime Minister's address to the nation has a sanctity to it. It is meant to be a non-partisan address intended to build national resolve and confidence. This pathetic partisan and polemical attack - a Distress Address rather than a National Address - would have been more appropriate in...