Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the opposition parties do not want to give women the right to leadership.Addressing the Nari Shakti Vandan conference in Gorakhpur, he said, “The deeds of Congress and SP have been anti-women from the beginning. Congress has always worked to obstruct the rights of women, Dalits, the deprived, and the backward classes. SP is openly anti-women. It is also said about SP, ‘Dekh Sapayi, Bitiya Ghabrayi.’.“Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi, when the new Parliament building was constructed, the first Act passed there was the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam,” Yogi said.He said, “Through the amendment bill, from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections itself, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to give women the right to participate in law-making and its implementation, but the anti-women opposition celebrating the fall of the bill does not accept this.” He mainly held the Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, and DMK responsible for this. The Chief Minister said,CM Yogi said, “Before 2017, during the SP government, in central and western Uttar Pradesh, people had stopped sending their daughters to school. Whereas today, daughters are going to school without obstruction. From 1947 to 2017, only 10,000 women were recruited in UP Police, whereas after 2017, this number is 44–45 thousand. In the state, 20 percent recruitment of women in the police has been made mandatory.”He said that after 2017, more than 900,000 government jobs have been filled, and about 175,000 of them are held by women. He said, “Through MSME revival, more than 30 million people got employment, more than 21,000 startups have started in the state, and half of the participants in them are women.”CM Yogi said, “To realize the vision of an Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat, women’s political participation is necessary. Women have received ensured representation in panchayats and local bodies, and the results are also positive. In the state, 54% of block heads are women. Similarly, in village and district panchayats, women’s participation will reach around 50%.”CM said that now that PM Modi started the campaign to give 33% reservation to women in Parliament and assemblies through the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, parties like SP and Congress have begun making excuses and delaying it.Seeing the large number of women in the conference despite extreme heat, the CM said, “The participation of women clearly sends the message that no one can deprive women of their rights for long. This is not something being begged by women; it is their natural right, which has been delayed since independence.”Yogi said that PM Modi believes that when women are empowered, the family becomes capable; when the family is capable, the foundation of society becomes strong; and when society is strong, the nation becomes powerful and prosperous.Yogi said, “In India’s history and traditions, maternal power has always been respected. Calling Lord Ram as Kaushalyanandan, Lord Krishna as Yashodanandan, Bhishma as Gangeya, and Arjun as Kaunteya is proof of this. The word ‘Shri’ in Shri Ram refers to Mother Sita. Even in the chant “Siyavar Ramchandra ki Jai,” Mother Sita’s name comes first. In Mathura-Vrindavan, every greeting starts with “Radhe Radhe.” In Kashi, “Namah Parvati Pataye” is proclaimed. The sacred river Ganga is called “Mother Ganga.” Even the cow is called “Gaumata.” All these are connected with maternal reverence.”CM Yogi said that whichever country it may be, even if it does not consider the cow as mother, it still drinks cow’s milk.The Chief Minister said, “After 2014, under PM Modi’s leadership, work began to promote respect for women’s dignity at every level. Earlier, complaints of female foeticide were coming, so that daughters could not claim property rights. Through programs like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao,’ ‘Matru Vandana,’ and ‘Indradhanush Yojana,’ efforts were made to stop gender imbalance and female foeticide.”He added, “In the state too, schemes like Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana are running for girls’ education from birth to graduation, benefiting 2.6 million girls. To stop child marriage and dowry, mass marriage schemes were started. In schemes like housing, toilets, Ujjwala, PM SVANidhi, and Ayushman, women have received the highest participation.”Yogi shared an experience from a rally in West Bengal, saying that half the population there has resolved to change power. Near Howrah, a TMC candidate was not allowing a BJP candidate to set up a stage. Fifteen minutes before his helicopter landed, thousands of women gathered and supported the BJP in 45-degree heat, expressing gratitude to PM Modi and assuring victory.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath once again reiterated that the double-engine government is committed to empowering half the population, ensuring women’s safety, dignity, and self-reliance. With this spirit, the government is also promoting women’s participation in leadership roles. The initiative of the first Nari Shakti Vandan Conference in Gorakhpur is part of this campaign.
