Gujarat citizens welcome PM Modi’s I-Day calls on women’s quota, free coaching

Vadodara, Aug 15 (IANS) Women and students in Gujarat’s Vadodara have welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcements from the Red Fort on Saturday, particularly his appeal to political parties to support the implementation of women’s reservation and his announcement of free online coaching for competitive examinations.

Addressing the nation on India’s 80th Independence Day, Modi urged all political parties to come together to ensure 33 per cent representation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies under the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’.

“Greater participation of women in legislative bodies would allow them to play a larger role in shaping the country’s policies,” he said.

Reacting to the appeal, Varsha Vyas, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation, expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for raising the issue from the Red Fort.

She said women had consistently contributed to the country’s development and had stepped forward whenever the nation, society or family needed them.

“I express my thanks, gratitude and congratulations to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi for speaking about this point from the Red Fort today. Since the 1857 revolt, we have seen that from Rani Lakshmibai onwards, whenever and wherever there was a need, women have stood firmly and resolutely for the development of the country, for the independence of the country, or whenever support was needed in the home, family and community, women have stood firmly. Similarly, women have contributed to independence, and similarly, to move forward,” Vyas said.

Advocate Komal Kukreja said the Prime Minister’s appeal should encourage all political parties to support greater participation of women in political institutions.

“Prime Minister Modi has declared this from the Red Fort today on the 78th Independence Day, and has requested all parties that whatever requests were coming for implementing women’s reservation, whatever obstacles were coming, all those countrymen and parties have been told that the participation of women, which is going to be 50 per cent from Panchayat to Parliament, should not be obstructed,” she said.

Advocate Sheetal Upadhyay also called for political parties to put aside their differences on the issue and support the legislation.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he said this from the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day today, the meaning of this is that how much priority he is giving to women and how much he is encouraging women to come forward. When he is inviting everyone from this platform, I would request all the parties through you as well, that all parties should keep aside whatever political differences there are, and when it comes to women, come together, support this and pass this Bill,” Upadhyay said.

The women’s reservation law, passed by Parliament in 2023, provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

Its implementation is linked to the completion of the census and delimitation exercise.

PM Modi’s latest appeal has brought the issue back into focus, with the Prime Minister asking political parties to ensure the provision is implemented as swiftly as possible.

In a separate announcement aimed at students and young people, PM Modi said the government would provide free online coaching for competitive examinations.

“The cost of coaching had become a burden for poor and middle-class families and digital access could help students prepare without having to bear the expense of private coaching or relocate to larger cities,” he said.

The announcement was welcomed by students and parents in Vadodara. Shalav Majmudar, an advocate and student, said the initiative could benefit students who do not have access to adequate coaching facilities.

“This is a significant initiative announced by the Prime Minister. He understands that, for many families, education is the biggest means of fulfilling their aspirations. The announcement of free online coaching will greatly benefit people who do not have access to proper coaching facilities. Every student aspires to pursue higher education, gain knowledge, receive proper guidance, and find the right direction,” Majmudar said.

The free coaching announcement formed part of a broader set of youth-focused measures outlined by Modi in his Independence Day address.

He also announced plans to provide artificial intelligence training to one crore young people, alongside initiatives intended to expand opportunities for India’s youth.

–IANS

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