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Women’s security our govt’s priority; we amended laws to give death penalty for crimes like rape: PM Modi

The prime minister stressed the need to empower women from rural parts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote. "An exceptional game and an exceptional result!" (Express Photo)

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the achievements of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government during the last two tenures and said they have given top priority to women’s security and amended laws to introduce capital punishment for heinous crimes like rape.

Recalling the last 10 years, Modi said India was walking on the path of women-led development. Modi made the remarks during the ‘Lakhpati Didi Sammelan’ event in Gujarat’s Navsari district on Saturday.

“When a girl returns (home) late, her parents ask questions, but they don’t do the same when a boy comes late…they should do it. In the past decade, we have given women’s safety and security the highest priority and to stop crimes against women, we have changed rules and laws,” Modi said.

“My government changed the law to introduce capital punishment for heinous crime like rape,” PM Modi said.

Our government gives highest importance to ‘samman’ (honour) and ‘suvidha’ (facilities) for women, Modi said.

Further, Modi emphasised the need to empower women from rural parts and said: “(Mahatma) Gandhiji used to say that the country’s soul lies in its villages. I would like to add that women are the soul of our rural areas and the soul of rural India resides in the empowerment of rural women,” Modi said.

Referring to the Triple Talaq Bill passed in 2019, PM Modi said: “Our government works for women, we built thousands of toilets and gave dignity to women. Our government brought in stringent laws against triple talaq and saved the lives of lakhs of Muslim women from being destroyed,” Modi said.

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During the event, which has witnessed a huge footfall of women, PM Modi is set to disburse Rs 450 crore in financial assistance to more than 2.5 lakh women from over 25,000 Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

The Lakhpati Didi scheme was launched by the Union government in 2023 and recognises women members of SHGs, who have an annual income of at least Rs 1 lakh from agriculture, animal husbandry, and small industries, as ‘Lakhpati Didis’.

A security cover comprising only women police personnel has been deployed at the event. This will be the first such initiative in the country, an official had said earlier.

With PTI inputs

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