Women’s Reservation Bill a historic step towards their empowerment: UP BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhar

Lucknow: UP BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhary on Thursday described the Women’s Reservation Bill as a historic and far-reaching step towards the empowerment of the country’s half the population.He said the bill is not merely a means to enhance women’s political representation by granting them participation in policy formulation and decision-making processes, it is also poised to steer the nation’s holistic development in a new direction.Chaudhary said that Modi govt has accorded the highest priority to women empowerment.“The Women’s Reservation Bill is the culmination of this visionary outlook — where the resolve to grant women equal opportunities, dignity and rights is clearly evident,” he said, expressing confidence that the bill will elevate women’s participation in the political landscape to unprecedented heights.He said under Modi’s leadership, “unprecedented” success has been accomplished in the realm of women’s empowerment over the past 11 years.Chaudhary stressed that Jan Dhan accounts have been opened for over 320 million women, thereby providing them with the opportunity to become economically empowered. Under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, about 68% of the beneficiaries are women and over 100 million women are becoming economically and socially empowered by joining self-help groups, he pointed out.Chaudhary said women’s participation in various schemes of central govt is seeing a continuous upward trend. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a significant number of houses have been allotted in women’s names, thereby enhancing their social dignity and security.He emphasised that central govt’s schemes have had a direct and profound impact on the lives of women. Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, over 100 million gas connections have been provided, liberating women from the hazards of smoke and leading to a marked improvement in their health and standard of living.“Collectively, these schemes demonstrate that NDA govt has meticulously designed every initiative with the core objective of women’s empowerment in mind,” he said.Meanwhile, responding to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s demand for separate reservation for Muslim women, Chaudhary said the Constitution does not permit religion-based reservation.He stated that the assertion by the SP leadership not only contravenes constitutional norms but also fosters divisive politics within society.