‘Those who opposed Women’s Bill for decades trembling now’: PM Modi in Varanasi
The political parties which earlier opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill and kept it pending for three decades are now trembling as the Bill has been passed by record votes in both houses of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.
Interacting with 5,000 women at the Nari Shakti Vandan programme at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University ground in Varanasi (Kashi), the PM said, “For the last three decades, this bill was pending. But because of the unity and power of mothers and sisters, in both the houses of Parliament, such political parties, who were never tired of opposing it vehemently earlier, had to support the Bill. The political parties are afraid of you, they are trembling and they supported the Bill and it has been passed by record votes in both the houses of Parliament.”
He said that it is a matter of good fortune to be in Kashi first after the Bill was passed in Parliament.
“Kashi is the holy city of Mother Kushmanda, Mother Shringar Gauri, Mother Annapurna and Mother Ganga. The glory of mother power is attached to every part of this place. Vindhyavasini Devi is also not far from Banaras. The city of Kashi has been a witness to the virtuous deeds and management skills of Goddess Ahilyabai Holkar,” he said.
“We are the people who worship Mother Parvati and Ganga before Mahadev. Our Kashi is the birthplace of a queen like Rani Laxmibai. From queen like Lakshmi Bai in the freedom struggle to the women scientists who led Mission Chandrayaan, we have proved the power of women leadership in every period,” he added.
He said that Nari Shakti Vandan Act is one with a broad vision.
“We want to create such a system that women do not need to take anyone’s help to move forward. For this, it is necessary to strengthen cultural values along with the law. Therefore, this law has been named Nari Shakti Vandan Act. But some people have problems with the word Vandan in this also. What will we do if we don’t worship our mothers and sisters? These people do not understand what the meaning of worshipping women power is. We have to move forward on the path of development by avoiding such negative thinking. The country will continue to move forward, and will continue to take such big decisions,” he said.
Modi also said that the passing of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam will “strengthen our democracy.”
“This law will open many new paths for development of women in the country and also presence (number) of women will increase in assemblies and Parliament,” he said.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of an international cricket stadium in Ganjari area here, in the presence of a galaxy of cricket legends, and said his government was developing sports infrastructure in each and every corner, including remote areas of the country.
Modi also inaugurated 16 Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas (residential schools) built at a cost of ₹1,115 crore and participated in the concluding ceremony of Kashi Sansad Sanskritik Mahotsav.
He also addressed the closing ceremony of the Kashi Sansad Sanskritik Mahotsav-2023 at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre.