My third term will write new chapter in rise of women power: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday cited a host of women-centric schemes of his government to assert that only a society which boosts women's standing and creates opportunities for them can advance.
His third term will write a new chapter in the rise of women power, Modi said at a 'Sashakt Nari-Viksit Bharat' programme, exuding confidence of retaining power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In a swipe at previous governments, he said women's lives and hardships were not a priority for them while the BJP dispensation has come out with different initiatives to help them at every stage of life.
Modi said he is the first prime minister who spoke of a host of issues related to women, including lack of toilets, use of sanitary pads, adverse effects of smoke-causing kitchen fuels like wood and coal, and the need for bank accounts from the ramparts of the Red Fort, a reference to his Independence Day speeches.
He said political parties like the Congress made fun of him and insulted him for this.
He asserted that what he saw at his home, in his neighbourhood and villages during his travels shaped his sensibilities and schemes for women.
Over Rs 8 lakh crore has been disbursed among women under various government schemes, Modi said.
Over 1 crore women have become 'Lakhpati Didis' so far, he said.
The prime minister said that his experience has been that a little help to women can make them a help to others.
Those politicians who are only concerned about their families can never understand this, he said.
At the 'Sashakt Nari-Viksit Bharat' programme, Modi disbursed around Rs 8,000 crore as bank loans to self-help groups (SHGs).
He interacted with women beneficiaries from different parts of the country, enquired about various aspects of their work and lauded their hard work and determination.
Modi also felicitated 'Lakhpati Didis', who have achieved success with the support of the 'Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission' and are supporting the upliftment of other self-help group members.
During the event, he handed over drones to 1,000 'Namo Drone Didis', women chosen to operate drones for agriculture and related purposes.
He also disbursed about Rs 2,000 crore Capitalisation Support Fund to SHGs.
The 'Namo Drone Didi' and 'Lakhpati Didi' initiatives are integral to the prime minister's vision of fostering economic empowerment and financial autonomy among women, especially in rural areas, the Prime Minister's Office had said earlier in a statement.
#WATCH | PM Modi at Sashakt Nari-Viksit Bharat programme in Delhi.
— ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2024
I believe that the 'Nari Shakti' can lead the technological revolution of India in this 21st century. Today, we see in the IT sector, space sector, and science sector how Indian women are making their name. In… pic.twitter.com/8hceN636PY
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Kejriwal resorting to 'vendetta politics', says BJP after MP Sandeep Pathak booked
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Saturday accused Aam Aadmi Party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal of vendetta politics after Punjab Police booked Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, who recently defected to the BJP.
In an X post, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla claimed that Kejriwal is misusing the Punjab Police to settle political scores, and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has become a party to it.
"Two FIRs have been filed against Sandeep Pathak, who until recently was in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a Rajya Sabha MP and general secretary (organisation). What is baffling is the shameless, brazen vendetta politics being pursued by Arvind Kejriwal, with Bhagwant Mann complicit in it," Poonawalla said.
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"It is clear this has been done out of vendetta politics by Kejriwal, who is extremely vengeful and vindictive, and misuses the Punjab Police to pursue such political vendetta," he alleged.
Questioning the timing of the FIRs, Poonawalla said, "If these cases existed from the beginning, why were FIRs not filed earlier? If he was corrupt, why was he kept in the party for so long, especially when he was the general secretary (organisation)? Has any new material surfaced in the last few days, or has the alleged corruption occurred only now?"
He alleged that Kejriwal has an "old habit" of targeting political opponents and dissenters.
"We have seen how he has used the police against rivals, including Congress leaders. This is his old habit," Poonawalla said, referring to the withdrawal of Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh's security.
Poonawalla claimed that several leaders who had left AAP over the years, including Yogendra Yadav, Mayank Gandhi, Ashish Khetan, Ashutosh and Alka Lamba, were "hounded".
He accused the party of failing to introspect.
"Instead of introspecting on how they have changed -- from Anna to Lalu, from Lokpal to corruption -- they are indulging in vendetta politics, trying to victimise people using the strong arm of the law. This reflects an Emergency-like mindset and a dictatorial, Hitlerian mindset," he said.
According to sources, two FIRs have been lodged against Pathak under non-bailable sections.
No further details about the FIRs have been disclosed yet.
On April 24, the AAP suffered a jolt when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs quit, alleging that Arvind Kejriwal's party has strayed from its principles, values and core morals.
Of the seven MPs -- who were Pathak, Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal -- six were from Punjab.
Later, Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan officially accepted their merger with the BJP, reducing AAP's strength in the Upper House to three.
