: Saying he will leave no stone unturned to implement 33% reservation for women, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said some dynastic parties are apprehensive of “nari shakti” (women power) and do not want to see women reaching assemblies and Parliament.
“The opposition fears that if women come into politics in large numbers, their traditional brand of politics will be lost. Due to the actions of the opposition parties, this objective had earlier remained unfulfilled,” Modi said at the Nari Shakti Vandan Act Abhivadan Sammelan held at the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) grounds in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on the first day of his two-day visit. More than 50,000 women participated in this event.
Emphasizing the important role of women in nation building, the Prime Minister described women power as the strongest pillar of developed India.
“I assure you that I will leave no stone unturned to make your right to reservation a reality,” Modi affirmed.
Asserting that their appeasement politics would end, he said, “Women’s empowerment will strengthen the country.”
Underlining the transformative power of women empowerment, he said that when a woman is empowered at home, the entire family gets strengthened, thereby strengthening the society and the country.
Emphasizing that convenience and safety are the foundations of empowerment, she compared the current situation in UP with the past when it was difficult for girls to even step out of their homes.
The Indian Code of Justice has provided new confidence with speedy adjudication in crimes against women, while the network of women police stations and counseling centers continues to expand.
“Anyone with ill intentions towards the daughters now knows exactly what their fate will be,” he said.
The Prime Minister, who visited each designated seating area at the venue to greet the women attending the conference, began his address with loud chants of “Har Har Mahadev”.
Referring to the spiritual importance of Kashi, he said that the city is blessed with the divine power of Goddess Shringara Gauri, Annapurna, Vishalakshi and Maa Sankata Devi as well as the sacred streams of Mother Ganga.
In his nearly 30-minute speech, he said he had come to seek the blessings of mothers and sisters for a noble goal – 33% reservation for women in state assemblies and Parliament.
He affirmed that he will leave no stone unturned in implementing this initiative dedicated to the dignity of women and described the effort as a momentous endeavor – a “Maha Yagya”.
He pointed out that, in his dual capacity as the Member of Parliament from Kashi and the Prime Minister of the country, he needed his blessings to achieve an important objective related to the welfare of the country.
He said that its main objective is to implement reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
“As your Member of Parliament… as the Prime Minister of the country… I seek your blessings to achieve a major goal in the national interest,” Modi said. And this major goal is to implement reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
He said he has brought an amendment bill (Constitution 131st Amendment Bill) to speed up implementation of 33% reservation for women in state legislatures and the Lok Sabha and to expand the powers of the Lok Sabha. (The bill did not receive the support of two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha).
But opposition parties including SP and Congress betrayed women by stopping this initiative, he said.
He said that these parties do not know how angry women are with them.
Reflecting on the historical obstacles faced by Indian women, she recalled the dismissive questions and orders that generations of girls have endured, questions about capability, necessity, and propriety. Acknowledging that such discrimination is not limited to Kashi alone but exists across the country, he said the society has normalized this injustice.
“These constraints have been accepted as the natural order and have to change,” Modi asserted.
Recalling his commitment to break regressive notions, the Prime Minister shared that 25 years ago when he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he had launched two pioneering schemes for girls, the Chief Minister Kanya Kelavani Nidhi to ensure more girls go to school and complete Shala Praveshotsav, and the Chief Minister Kanya Kelavani Nidhi to help with their fees.
“From then till today, the welfare of women has been consistently given top priority in the policies of our government,” he said.
He said that since 2014 – when the mothers and sisters of the country gave him the opportunity to serve – India has been moving rapidly on the path of development.
He also said that the mission of transforming the country into a developed country is progressing rapidly and the role of India’s ‘women power’ is paramount in this endeavour.
Furthermore, he reiterated his government’s unwavering commitment to advance women empowerment, especially by implementing the Women’s Reservation Law.
He said that this huge gathering of sisters on this holy land is making this event even more divine. Paying tribute to the women of Kashi, the Prime Minister announced that today’s occasion is a celebration of the reverence and development of ‘women power’.
He said that during the event, various projects worth thousands of crores of rupees have been inaugurated or laid the foundation stone – initiatives that will provide a new impetus to the development of the region.
He stressed that his government has worked for all sections of the society without any discrimination – he said it is this commitment that is why public confidence in the government continues to grow.
Detailing the extensive welfare initiatives since 2014, he highlighted that more than 12 crore toilets were built, bank accounts were opened for more than 30 crore sisters, electricity connections were provided to more than 2.5 crore households and tap water reached more than 12 crore households.
These initiatives placed sisters and daughters at the center of national development, including schemes like Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Matru Vandana Yojana and Ayushman Bharat.
“Sisters and daughters have been placed at the center of every major plan, which shows our true commitment,” he said.
Highlighting a successful campaign in Kashi, he reminded that two years ago, Sukanya Samriddhi accounts were opened for 27,000 girls in just one month. ₹₹300 transferred to each account. The scheme has strengthened girls’ education, while the Mudra scheme has ensured their earnings, and for the first time, properties have been registered in the names of crores of sisters through the PM Awas Yojana.
“Today our mothers and sisters are truly becoming owners of their own homes,” she said.
He said that when women’s economic power increases, their voice in the home also becomes equally strong. Over the last 11 years, about 10 crore women have joined self-help groups, including about 1.25 lakh sisters of Kashi, enabling them to work independently with assistance worth lakhs of rupees.
“Through such efforts, so far 3 crore sisters have become Lakhpati Didis, including thousands of sisters from Banaras,” he confirmed.
Highlighting the contribution of dairy sector in women empowerment, he congratulated lakhs of sisters associated with Banas Dairy. ₹Rs 106 crore directly received as bonus on Wednesday.
He encouraged the women of dairy sector of Kashi to increase their work and expressed confidence of continuous development.
“This is just the beginning, Banaras will grow, Banas Dairy will grow and this bonus will also keep growing,” Mr Modi confirmed.
Explaining how the government is positioning women as change-makers, she highlighted its efforts to make them self-reliant and hand over to them the leadership of campaigns to build a developed India. He observed that Banking Sakhi is driving digital payments, Bima Sakhi is leading insurance initiatives, Krishi Sakhi is promoting natural farming, and NaMo Drone Didi is leading the agriculture drone revolution. Apart from this, new avenues have opened for daughters in Army, Navy, Air Force, Sainik Schools and Defense Academies.
He said, “The aim of our government is women empowerment, women upliftment and making life of women easier.”
Emphasizing that women deserve a larger role in policy-making and national decision-making given their excellence in all fields, the Prime Minister said the idea of participation of sisters was a major reason behind the creation of the new Parliament. The first task after the formation of the new Parliament was to pass the Nari Shakti Vandan Act in 2023, after being stuck for 40 years, in which 33 percent reservation was given for women.
Modi said, “Now it is necessary that this law be implemented as soon as possible.”
The Prime Minister pointed to record voting by women in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Along with Modi, UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, UP BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhary, Varanasi District Panchayat President Poonam Maurya and 40 women including councilors and village heads were present on the stage.
More than 1000 women policemen were deployed at the venue.
