Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the promulgation of an ordinance on rape demonstrated his government's determination to act on the issue, but stressed that people had to respect their daughters and make their sons more responsible for an atmosphere of safety. Modi also pitched for a social movement to ensure the safety of women and girls while addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district.
As per government sources, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the promulgation of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, for effective deterrence against commission of rape, thereby instilling a sense of security among women and especially young girls in the country.
Modi, however, called upon the people to create an atmosphere for the safety of daughters. "Families will have to enhance the honour and respect of daughters. Families should also make their sons more responsible," he said, while addressing the National Panchayati Raj Sammelan at Ramnagar in the tribal-dominated Mandla district.
"There is a government in Delhi which listens to your voice and takes decisions. So, the Centre has made a provision for capital punishment to the monstrous intent," he said while referring to the recent ordinance. In this way, the safety of daughters would not be a difficult task. We have to launch a social movement in this direction," he said, according to news agency PTI.
Modi had recently asked people to question their sons about their whereabouts during his ‘Bharat ki Baat, Sabke Sath’ event in London as well. "When a child is raped, what could be worse? Is that the time to compare metrics versus the earlier governments? When a girl comes home late, all parents are worried. When a boy goes out and comes home late, why don't we ask him where he was?” Modi had said.
He also talked about the welfare of tribals and farmers and asked the elected representatives of Panchayats to educate villagers to become self-dependent in farming.
The prime minister also urged the panchayat representatives to spend National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) funds during the months of April, May and June only on works related to water conservation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday arrived in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla district to address the Panchayat bodies and the indigenous communities.
Here are the top 10 developments of Modi’s speech during a rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandya:
1 ‘Make sons more responsible,’ says Modi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the promulgation of an ordinance on rape demonstrated his government's determination to act on the issue, but stressed that
"Families will have to enhance the honour and respect of daughters. Families should also make their sons more responsible," he said, while addressing the National Panchayati Raj Sammelan at Ramnagar in the tribal-dominated Mandla district.
The Union Cabinet on April 21 approved the ordinance under which the death penalty could be awarded to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years of age, amid a nation-wide outrage over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a teenager in Unnao.
2. : Modi on Tuesday called for a social movement for protecting girls in the wake of increasing rapes reported from different parts of the country. The audience applauded when Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan mentioned the ordinance.
Modi said his government listens to people and called for steps to give more respect to the daughters in the families.
"The government in Delhi listens to your heart. We should learn to give respect to daughters in the family, we should increase the importance of daughters in the family and start teaching sons about responsibility. It will never be difficult to protect daughters if we start teaching sons about responsibility.
"The one who acts devilishly will face the gallows. We have to build a social movement and we can all together bring out the country from this problem," he said.
3. Modi attacks Nehru-Gandhi family: In a veiled attack on the Nehru-Gandhi clan, Narendra .
"It is unfortunate that the Indian freedom struggle has revolved around some people and families," Modi said.
He also announced that museums dedicated to unsung freedom fighters, including members of tribal communities, would be built across the country.
"To highlight the contribution of people who played a major role in the freedom struggle since 1857 (but are not widely known), a museum dedicated to them will be set up in every state,” Modi added.
"These museums will help the new generations know about their sacrifices for the country. Why is that the names of these freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the country did not figure in history," he asked.
4. Modi stresses on water conservation: At a time when Madhya Pradesh is battling severe drought-like conditions, .
"Think about what you can do for water conservation in the villages. Every drop of water should be conserved. India's development must take place beginning from its villages, and that once India's villages transform for the better, India will change too," Modi said, according to news agency ANI.
His comments come at a time when many rivers in Madhya Pradesh have gone dry and many have shrunk after which people in more than half of the state are not getting daily water supply.
Currently, 132 tehsils in 18 districts have been declared drought-hit.
5. Modi urged villagers to have Jan Dhan accounts: Modi also urged villagers and panchayat members to focus on accounts and insurance coverage. "As public representatives working across the villages, I appeal to you to focus on Jan Dhan, Van Dhan, Gobar Dhan. Ensure that people have Jan Dhan accounts and insurance coverage under the government schemes," Modi said, reported ANI.
"When it comes to rural development, budgets are important. But, there is a shift in the discourse in last few years. People are now talking about the need to ensure that money allocated for a project is utilised and it is done in a transparent manner," Modi said.
6. Rs 1.2 billion to be used for LPG plant in Mandla: Modi also announced that Rs 1.2 billion (Rs 120 crore) would be used to develop the LPG plant in Mandla district, thereby providing the availability of gas cylinders in all surrounding areas as well as employment opportunities for the people living there. Modi also laid the foundation stone of an LPG bottling plant of the Indian Oil Corporation at Maneri and launched a local government directory.
Following his speech, Modi felicitated sarpanches (village head) of the villages that have achieved 100 per cent smokeless kitchens, vaccination under Mission Indradhanush, and wholesome electrification under Saubhagya Scheme.
7. : Addressing a gathering of tribals in Mandla town, Modi said since tribals had to face punitive action for felling bamboo, the government had decided to categorise it as a grass.
"Due to insufficient availability of bamboo, the country imports it. But if farmers grow bamboo on the fence of their fields, it could well be another source of earning which can help change their life for the better," he said, according to news agency IANS.
8. Modi on education: The prime minister also called upon panchayat heads to ensure no child in their village remained illiterate and children got the benefits of government health schemes especially meant for them.
9. Chouhan promises electricity for all in MP: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan promised that electricity would be made available to every village of the state by October, adding: "Rs 2 trillion will be spent towards the welfare of tribal population of Madhya Pradesh.”
10. About the ordinance that will strengthen the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act: The ordinance seeks death penalty for the rapists of girls below 12 years of age and stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape particularly of girls below 16 years.
The minimum punishment in rape cases of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment. In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment.
In terms of gang rape, the cabinet stated that the punishment for the gang rape of a girl less than 16 years of age will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of the life of the convict.
With regards to rape or gang rape of a girl below the age of 12, the cabinet said the accused would be sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, imprisonment for life or death.
The cabinet also decided to put in place a number of measures for speedy investigation and trial of rape cases. It has also provided for a six-month time limit for disposal of appeals in rape cases.
With Agency inputs