Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working for the welfare of women since coming to power, Union minister Smriti Irani said on Friday, underlining the need to celebrate the empowerment of women at the grassroots level. Irani, however, refused to comment on the possibility of a legislation on the women's reservation bill being brought in Parliament, even though she said the BJP had supported as opposition when it was tabled in Rajya Sabha. The women and child development minister was speaking at the launch of journalist Nidhi Sharma's book 'She, the Leader: Women in Indian Politics'. BRS leader K Kavitha, Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas, and Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari also attended the book launch. Talking to the author, Irani said there has been a tectonic shift when it comes to women in politics. "One needs to celebrate that there is a quintessential surge in democracy from panchayat level. Even in general seats more and more women are participating," Irani said. She said while th
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From Rahul Gandhi's attack on government over Manipur issue to Amit Shah's response, here are the top highlights from all that happened in Parliament today
While walking out of the Lok Sabha premises, Rahul Gandhi blew a flying kiss to BJP MPs, and Smriti Irani's speech was underway
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "murder of India in Manipur" remark in Lok Sabha, saying this is for the first time in parliamentary democracy that someone has made such a statement. Speaking soon after Gandhi concluded his speech on the no-confidence debate in the House, the BJP member, who is minister for women and child development, said Manipur is an integral part of India. "I condemn the behaviour that was displayed. This is the first time that someone talked about the murder of India, and Congress leaders were thumping desks," Irani said. "Manipur is not divided, it is a part of this country. A member of his (opposition) alliance said in Tamil Nadu that India only means north India. If he has the courage, Rahul Gandhi should comment on this... another Congress leader said there should be a referendum on Kashmir... Was the statement given as per the order of the Congress leadership that a leader talked about ...
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said thanks to his vision women-led development had become a subject of deliberations during the G20 leadership meetings for the first time. She was addressing a press conference here on the outcomes of the 'Ministerial Conference on Women's Empowerment', which concluded at Mahatma Mandir during the day. "Before India took over the G20 presidency, women-related subjects were never at the centre of discussions. Thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, for the first time in the history of G20, women-led development became a subject of deliberations during G20 leadership meetings. For the first time, women-led agenda was central to the discussion in G20," Irani said. In the past, G20 never saw participation of women from rural or humble backgrounds, but under India's presidency, such women have now found a voice in G20, the Union Women and Child Development minister added. "The Indian G20 presidenc
The sex ratio at birth has improved by 15 points from 918 in 2014-15 to 933 in 2022-23 in the country, Union minister Smriti Irani told the Lok Sabha on Friday. Responding to a question in the Lower House of Parliament, the women and child development minister said the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme has stirred up collective consciousness towards changing the mindset of the public to acknowledge the rights of the girl child. "The scheme has raised concerns around the issue of declining CSR (child sex ratio) in India. This is reflected in the improvement of the sex ratio at birth (SRB) by 15 points at the national level, that is, from 918 in 2014-15 to 933 in 2022-23," she said in a written response. The sex ratio at birth for a given population, over a time period, is the ratio of the number of male live births to the number of female live births in the population, scaled to a denominator of 100.
Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani has said that she has spoken to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh over the May 4 video showing two women being paraded naked by some men in the state. She termed the incident "condemnable and downright inhuman". In a tweet on Thursday night, the Union minister said, "The horrific video of sexual assault of two women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM N Biren Singh ji who has informed me that investigation is currently underway and assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice." Later, in another tweet, she said, "PM @narendramodi ji appealed to the Chief Ministers of all the states - work with dedication for women's safety, respect and protection. Whether the incident is from Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or Manipur, those who commit crimes against women will not be spared". The BJP has been highlighting cases of crimes against women in Congress-ruled states like ...
Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani has said that she has spoken to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh over the May 4 video showing two women being paraded naked by some men in the state. She termed the incident "condemnable and downright inhuman". In a tweet on Thursday night, the Union minister said, "The horrific video of sexual assault of two women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM N Biren Singh ji who has informed me that investigation is currently underway and assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice." Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities being paraded naked by a few men from the other side. The video was doing the rounds on the eve of a planned protest march announced by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) on Thursday to highlight their plight. Police said a case of abduction, ga
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani asked the child welfare committees on Sunday to visit child-care homes and review the cases of older children who could be made free for adoption as soon as possible. Many children living in child-care homes are not legally free for adoption. According to official figures, there are around 66,000 children residing child-care homes across the country and less than 3,000 of them are legally free for adoption. Speaking at a regional symposium on "Child Protection, Safety and Child Welfare" that was attended by child welfare committee members and officials from child-care institutions among others, Irani asked the CWCs to visit the child-care homes and review the cases of older children who could be made free for adoption at the earliest. Irani said the women and child development ministry has already reviewed two states, looked into 9,000 cases of older children and identified 164 such children who could be made legally free for ...
The BJP on Wednesday launched a scathing counterattack on the Congress over the registration of an FIR against its IT department head Amit Malviya in Karnataka, claiming that the Gandhi family has again given a proof of how far it can go to suppress the truth if it gets power. Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani reiterated her party's allegations against Rahul Gandhi that he "hobnobbed" with people with suspicious credentials, including those close to billionaire investor George Soros who wants to "destabilise" the democratically elected Indian government, during his recent visit to the US. She also attacked Gandhi for the involvement of Tanzeem Ansari of the Islamic Circle of North America in hosting a programme of the Indian diaspora during his visit, saying Ansari has an organisational link with the Jamaat-e-Islami. A House of Representatives resolution in the US had earlier expressed concern about the threat posed to democracy by theocratic groups operating in south Asia,
Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani on Saturday took a jibe at the meeting of opposition parties held in Patna, saying wolves hunt in packs but they do not know that they cannot hunt a lion. She also alleged that the target of Friday's opposition conclave was not Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "but the people of the country and the exchequer". "As soon as I came to Indore, the media asked me what my reaction was to the Opposition's gathering in Patna yesterday," Irani said addressing a public gathering organised here to mark the completion of the Modi government's nine years in power. There is a saying in English that wolves hunt in packs but they do not know that they can't hunt a lion," Irani said. She also spoke at an event organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party to mark the completion of nine years of the Modi government. Prominent women from Indore were invited to this programme. "There has been a gathering (of Opposition parties), but its target was not Modi, but you
As more than a dozen opposition parties came together against the BJP on Friday, the ruling party called it a "multi-headed selfish alliance" and compared it with wolves hunting in packs. Addressing a press conference here soon after the opposition unity meeting in Bihar's Patna, BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani said this coming together of the parties was not targeted at Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the country's coffers. "It is said that wolves hunt in packs! A political pack met in Patna. Their 'prey' is the future of India," Irani said. She said this alliance of selfishness was being forged with India as its target. "Whenever these political parties came together, they brought corruption, nepotism and brought with them the allegation of constricting the economic progress of the nation," she added. Irani said the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) blackmailing at the beginning itself shows the future of the unholy alliance. "It is ironic that Trinamool Congress Party member
"It is the imagination of PM Modi that India should be healthy and it should achieve a tremendous position in the economic system with the spirit of innovation," she said
Union Minister Smriti Irani criticised Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, saying the AAP leader "can do whatever he wants but the people of Delhi were determined to vote for Narendra Modi to build a new India
During a visit to Deeh block here, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday directed officials to solve problems related roads and housing promptly. Irani held a 'chaupal' at Tekari Dandu Upper Primary School in Deeh block, which is part of the Salon Assembly constituency in Rae Bareli district. Irani is the MLA from Amethi and Salon is one of its Assembly segment. Several people apprised Irani with their problems and the minister directed officers to resolve them at the earliest. Later, the Amethi MLA reached the Deeh Gram Panchayat and Parsh adepur. During an interaction with people, several women of the town complained of lack of houses. Villagers from Chhatoh complained about not getting benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana to which Irani said that officers will resolve their problems by organising camps in the village.
The poster referred to the silence of the Minister on protesting wrestlers, many of whom had won Olympic medal, were on Sunday forcibly removed by police from their protest site on Jantar Mantar
Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule condemned police action against protesting wrestlers in New Delhi on Sunday. Delhi Police detained ace wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia for violation of law and order after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building for a planned women's 'Mahapanchayat'. The champion wrestlers had resumed their agitation against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23, demanding his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of several women grapplers, including a minor. "Did the Union Home Ministry grant permission to manhandle them? The Central government must provide unequivocal answers," tweeted Sule, who said she was deeply dismayed by the deplorable treatment of Olympic medallists and sportswomen. "It is truly unfortunate that sportspersons who have brought honour to our nation through sports are compelled to wage such battles for justi
"Gandhi family provoking like-minded people for not attending the inauguration of new Parliament building doesn't surprise us," Irani added
The Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), a trade union backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), will be holding a state-level women's labour convention here on Monday which will be inaugurated by Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani. Besides Irani, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan would also be speaking at the event, BMS Kerala said in a release. Around 3,000 women workers and labourers are expected to take part in the convention, it said. The trade union also said 2,000 seminars would be held across the country and out of those 200 would be held in Kerala. BMS further said that this year it has been accorded the chair of Labour-20 (L20) which is one of the G20 Engagement Groups.