Those who used to tear women's reservation bill had to back it: PM Modi
Opposition parties which tore copies of the women's reservation bill earlier were forced to support it in Parliament due to BJP's strength in both Houses and 'growing empowerment of women' in the last few years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. He described Parliament's passage of the bill as historic and one that would be registered in the minds of the people for years.
Women ministers, BJP office-bearers, MPs and party supporters felicitated Modi at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Friday for passage of the bill. Modi touched the feet of some women MPs to mark the celebration of the legislation.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi claimed the bill had been moved in Parliament a few times earlier for the 'sake of doing so' and 'lacked any seriousness' in passing it.
«No sincere attempts were made to get it passed as there was no real intent to get it cleared. This time too some members who supported it argued that it should not be called Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Should the women not be revered?»
He congratulated women for passage of the bill and underlined that such legislations were possible only when there was a strong, stable government with a clear majority.
«Those who used to tear the bill in the past had to support it this time as women are empowered today.
The legislation will transform the country.»
Modi claimed it was «not any ordinary legislation but a declaration of our commitment to democracy». He described it as a «significant and strong step». Modi insisted that his government did not let any political self-interest become a hurdle in the bill's passage.
He enumerated welfare schemes aimed at growth and strengthening of women.
