PM Modi calls women’s quota amendment 'one of the greatest decisions of 21st century'

New Delhi: Calling the government’s move to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the women’s reservation legislation, as a historical decision, prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday told a group of women achievers that the amendment will be “one of the greatest” decisions of the 21st century.

PM Modi was addressing the women as part of the Nari Shakti Sanmelan organised by the union ministry of women and child development. The government has proposed to amend the women’s reservation legislation, passed in 2023, to de-link it from the delimitation process and the ongoing caste census.

A special session of Parliament has been convened this week to pass the amendment, even as the Opposition has questioned the government’s intent given the timing of the move as it comes amidst the polls in several states.

"... the nation is about to take one of the greatest decisions of the 21st century … this is among the most significant decisions of our time, and is dedicated to women’s power, to honoring women’s strength. Our Parliament is on the verge of creating new history; it is a resolve of an India that is equal, where social justice is not just a slogan but a natural part of our work culture,” Modi said. 

He said that while women are yet to be given their rightful representation, women have held prestigious positions in our politics and have left their mark.

“From President to Prime Minister, wherever women have served, they have created their own legacy. Even today, from the President to the Finance Minister, women hold key positions in our country. They have enhanced both the dignity and the pride of the nation,” he added. 

He said that the Panchayati Raj institutions are an excellent example of women’s leadership.

“Today, more than 1.4 million women are successfully working in local government bodies across India. In nearly 21 states, their participation in panchayats has reached almost 50%. Whenever I share this figure with foreign guests, they are astonished,” he said. 

Recalling an incident from 2002-03 when he was the chief minister of Gujarat, Modi spoke of a meeting with women panchayat leaders from Anand district. The village, at that point, had decided that the panchayat will be led by a woman, and the members, too, will be all women.

“It was a small village, perhaps a panchayat of 13 members, so I gave them time, they all came to meet me. When they came in, I was surprised, they had no papers in their hands … When I asked them what will you do in the next five years, their answer surprised me and they said something that will fail economists – they said they do not want a single person to remain poor,” Modi recalled.

He also said that all parties had made their contribution. “In our democratic structure, the need for women’s reservation has been felt for decades, and discussions have taken place. This debate has lasted nearly four decades. Efforts from all parties and generations have been involved. Every party has advanced this idea in its own way,” he added.