In a strong message amid rising concerns over crimes against women, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured that those committing such offences "will not be spared."
Speaking at the Lakhpati Didi event in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon, PM Modi addressed the recent nationwide outrage over cases like the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder, the Badlapur school sex abuse case, and the Assam gangrape. He termed crimes against women an "unforgivable sin".
"It is society and the government's duty to uphold the safety and dignity of women... We are strengthening and making stricter laws for criminals who commit sins against women," the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi highlighted the government's efforts to enhance legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms, including the introduction of amendments to existing laws and the creation of new systems to make justice more accessible to victims.
“Earlier, there were complaints that FIRs were not filed. We brought the BNS [Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita] and made a lot of amendments,” he said. “If a woman does not want to go to the police station, she can file an e-FIR. Nobody can change or tamper with an e-FIR.”
On the issue of crimes against women after marriage, PM Modi noted that his government has introduced specific amendments to the BNS to address such concerns. He assured that the central government stands firmly with state governments in tackling crimes against women.
"Today, I challenge you - keep the seven decades of previous governments on one side and put 10 years of the Modi government on the other scale... The amount of work that the Modi government has done for the sisters and daughters of the country, no government has done after Independence," he said.
The Prime Minister was in Jalgaon to interact with ‘Lakhpati Didis,’ women members of self-help groups who have achieved an annual income of Rs 1 lakh. During the event, PM Modi felicitated 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis and disbursed bank loans totalling Rs 5,000 crore, benefiting 25.8 lakh members of 2.35 lakh self-help groups (SHGs).
Since the inception of the Lakhpati Didi scheme, one crore women have joined the initiative, with the government setting an ambitious target to make 3 crore women Lakhpati Didis, news agency PTI reported.
Lauding the Eknath Shinde dispensation’s focus on empowering women and fostering economic growth, PM Modi remarked, “Mahayuti government means a government for development.”
