Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to women’s security over the past decade, highlighting the introduction of stringent laws, including capital punishment for heinous crimes such as rape.
Speaking at a gathering in Vansi Borsi village in Gujarat’s Navsari district on International Women’s Day, he stated that India is advancing towards women-led development.
Modi stressed the importance of equal societal expectations for men and women, urging parents to treat both genders similarly. “When a girl returns home late, parents question her, but they don’t do the same when a boy comes home late. They should,” he said.
Detailing government initiatives, he remarked, “In the past decade, we have given women’s safety and security the highest priority. To curb crimes against women, we have amended laws to allow capital punishment for heinous crimes like rape.”
He also highlighted measures taken to enhance women’s dignity and well-being. “We built thousands of toilets, ensuring dignity for women, and enacted strict laws against triple talaq, saving lakhs of Muslim women from injustice,” he said.
During the event, Modi engaged with Lakhpati Didis, women from self-help groups (SHGs) earning an annual household income of at least Rs 1 lakh.
He honoured five Lakhpati Didis and launched two state government schemes: G-SAFAL (Gujarat Scheme for Antyodaya Families for Augmenting Livelihoods) and G-MAITRI (Gujarat Mentorship and Acceleration of Individuals for Transforming Rural Income).
The G-MAITRI initiative is designed to provide financial assistance and support to startups focused on enhancing rural livelihoods, while G-SAFAL aims to offer financial aid and entrepreneurial training to SHG women from Antyodaya families in two aspirational districts and 13 aspirational blocks of Gujarat.
Modi underscored the role of women, particularly in rural areas, in the country’s development. “Mahatma Gandhi used to say that the country’s soul lies in its villages. I would add that women are the soul of rural India, and its empowerment depends on them,” he said.
He also cited successful women-led businesses such as Amul and Lijjat Papad as examples of female entrepreneurship.
At the beginning of his speech, Modi described himself as the “richest person in the world” due to the blessings of millions of women. “I know my statement will be trolled, but I will repeat it—I am the richest person because I have the blessings of crores of mothers, sisters, and daughters. These blessings keep increasing, and that is my true wealth,” he stated.
On International Women’s Day, Modi paid tribute to Nari Shakti, recognising their strength and contributions.
In a post on X, he announced that his social media platforms would be taken over by women achievers. “We bow to our Nari Shakti on #WomensDay! Our government has always worked to empower women, as reflected in our schemes and programmes. Today, as promised, my social media properties will be taken over by women who are making a mark in diverse fields,” he wrote.
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