Mumbai/Jalgaon: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured strict action in cases of crime against women. Addressing a “Lakhpati Didi” rally at Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, Mr. Modi said that his government is working to strengthen laws to provide for stringent punishment for crimes against women. Speaking in the backdrop of the Badlapur molestation case of two kindergarten girls and the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case, the PM said that the offences against the women are an unpardonable sin and the culprits must not be spared.
Mr Modi, who interacted with Lakhpati Didis at Jalgaon, released a revolving fund of Rs 2,500 crores, benefiting about 48-lakh members of 4.3 lakh self-help groups (SHG). He also disbursed bank loans of Rs 5,000 crores, which will benefit 25.8-lakh members of 2.35 lakh SHGs. Maharashtra governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy CMs Devendra Fadnvis and Ajit Pawar, and Union minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, among others, were present on the occasion.
Mr Modi also expressed his sorrow over the recent Nepal bus accident that claimed the lives of 14 people from Jalgaon district and mentioned that his government had dispatched Union Minister Raksha Khadse to Nepal.
Addressing the programme, the Prime Minister said that the safety of the women is a top priority of the country, along with their empowerment. “I have repeatedly raised this issue (safety of the women) from the Red Fort. Irrespective of the states, I understand the pain and anger of my sisters and daughters. I want to say to all the political parties and the state governments that crimes (read atrocities) against women are an unpardonable sin and the culprits and his accomplice must not be spared,” Mr Modi said.
The Prime Minister further said that public institutions, be it a hospital or a school or an office or the police system, must be made accountable and any sort of negligence on their part is unacceptable. “The message is loud and clear -- this sin is not unpardonable. Governments will come and go, but our biggest responsibility as a society and as a government should be to protect the life and dignity of women,” he asserted.
Pointing out that FIRs for complaints were not registered on time earlier and cases became time-consuming, the Prime Minister said that such obstacles have been removed in the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), where an entire chapter has been made on atrocities against women and children. He said that victims can register e-FIR if they do not wish to go to the police station and measures are in place to ensure swift action and no tampering with e-FIR at the police station level. He said that it will help in speedy investigation and strict punishment for the culprits.
Talking about his government’s efforts to strengthen the laws to give harsh punishments in cases of atrocities against women and children, Mr Modi said, “The BNS clearly defines false promises of marriage and deception as an act of cheating. I assure you, the Central government is with the state governments in every way to stop atrocities against women. We cannot stop until this sinful mentality has been eradicated from Indian society.”
The Prime Minister also claimed that his government has done more for women in the last 10 years than was done by all the previous regimes since Independence. Expressing happiness over the attendance of a huge crowd of women at the mega event in Jalgaon, he said, “Today, funds of more than Rs 6,000 crores were disbursed for lakhs of women SHGs spanning across India. This corpus of funds will bolster many women to transform into Lakhpati Didis.”
Stating that the Lakhpati Didi campaign is not just a way to boost the income of women but also a mega campaign to strengthen the family and future generations, the Prime Minister said that it is transforming the rural economy.
The Prime Minister said that of the 3-crore new houses that will be constructed under the government's housing scheme, most will be allotted to women.
Citing that women were the major contributors when Jan Dhan accounts were opened, Mr Modi said, "The Mudra scheme offered loans to people without any guarantee and 70 per cent of the beneficiaries of this scheme turned out to be women. Some people opposed this scheme, citing risk factors and claimed it might become (bad) debt. But I trusted the women and their honesty. Many have repaid their loans,"
"When I visited you during the Lok Sabha elections, I promised we will make 3-crore Lakhpati Didis. This means women who work in self-help groups and have an annual income of more than Rs 1 lakh," he said, adding, "In the last 10 years, 1 crore Lakhpati Didis were made, and in the last just two months, 11-lakh more Lakhpati Didis have been added... Out of the newly added Lakhpati Didis, one lakh are from Maharashtra," he said.
Mr Modi also said Maharashtra needs the BJP-led Mahayuti government to continue for years to come to ensure the state's stability and prosperity. He said: "Maharashtra is the shining star of a developed India. The future of the state lies in more investment and job growth."
