‘Women first’ our govt’s mantra, says PM Modi

bengaluru — Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that India is moving forward from women development to womenled development, and “women first” is the mantra of his government and the BJP.

Reaching out to women ahead of the May 12 Assembly elections in Karnataka, Modi asked them to help the BJP win by focusing on polling booths. “Today, the country is moving forward from women development to women-led development,” Modi said, interacting with Karnataka BJP Mahila Morcha workers through the ‘NarendraModi App’, his third such outreach aimed at galvanising the party machinery for the D-day.

He had earlier interacted with BJP office-bearers and candidates, and state farmers’ wing leaders. “We have such a mantra for country’s development, our party also believes in this mantra,” he said. “Mahila shakti” (woman power), Modi said, was important in the BJP’s scheme of things.

“For us, whether it is the organisation or the government, or framing of programmes, it is women first,” he added.

Noting that capable women hold important portfolios in his cabinet, Modi pointed at two group photos of the SCO summit in China where External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were the only women. “Both of them have connection with Karnataka,” he said. — PTI