Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Nari Shakti Vandan Abhinandan Karyakram in Vadodara. Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, “Ever since the day the 'Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam' was passed by the Parliament, I was eager to visit Gujarat and especially Vadodara. Vadodara has taken care of me in my life, like a mother takes care of her child. Therefore, today I have come especially to meet my mothers and sisters of Vadodara.”
“I have always been deeply indebted to Gujarat and the women power of Gujarat. I have made an effort to pay off that debt through the Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam,” the PM added.
Expressing his best wishes on Women’s reservation bill securing 33 % reservation for women in all the Assemblies and Lok Sabha, PM Modi said, “I wish you all the best for this law and the avenues it has opened for a better future for women.”
He said, “Gujarat's development model is always discussed in the country and the world. It was because of this development model that the country had expressed such great confidence in me in 2014. And I always say that the biggest strength of Gujarat's development model is the women of Gujarat.”
Talking about the women’s struggle for education in Vadodara, PM said, “Many of you sisters will remember that low literacy rate of women was a big problem in Gujarat 20 years ago. A large number of daughters had to leave studies midway. Very few mothers were able to reach hospitals for delivery. The male to female ratio was also very worrying. Women's participation in the work force was also very low.”
PM Modi also highlighted the steps that government undertook to empower the women and said, “We took such innumerable problems of Gujarat as a challenge. We made policies for development keeping women at the centre. We worked honestly and with service and today the results are in front of us. Today the daughters of the new generation are not even aware of most of these problems of 20 years ago. This is our achievement.”
“The schemes and campaigns we made in Gujarat became the basis of many national schemes after 2014. In Gujarat we had started Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra for the education of daughters,” he added.
The Prime Minister underlined the schemes which eased every woman in Gujarat. He said, “Today, through ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ we are delivering piped water to the homes of mothers and sisters across the country. For women's participation in democracy, for their rights, it was necessary that they come out of the basic problems of life. Since the Corona period, we have been giving free ration to crores of poor families. The level of women power, confidence and energy of India today has never been higher than before.”
The PM attacked the opposition alliance and said, “You should look at the record of these people. They used to get laws passed in the Rajya Sabha, but never introduced them in the Lok Sabha. Today these people are in trouble. They want credit for the reservation given to women. I want the women of the country to ask some questions to the people of this arrogant alliance.”
PM Modi said, “These are the same people who used to make fun of Modi when he talked about toilets for women from the Red Fort. When Modi launched the Ujjwala scheme, they ridiculed it too. When we brought anti-triple talaq law for Muslim women, these people openly opposed it. At that time, they were worried about Muslim women but about the vote bank.”
During his concluding remarks, PM said, “The BJP government has always kept law and order under control in Gujarat. That's why here our mothers, sisters and daughters do not face any problem in leaving the house even late at night. I also appeal that in this festive season, be vocal for local and give priority to local products. BJP will continue to serve the women power of the country like this, this is Modi's guarantee. You keep your blessings on us like this. Only with your blessings this country will touch new heights of development.”
