‘Women need security, independence’

Gandhinagar: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj stressed on the need to provide suraksha (security), swalamban (independence) and self-empowerment to women at a women’s town hall event organized by the Gujarat BJP.
“Suraksha starts from the mother’s womb,” she said.
“I feel upset that crime against women happens in a country where two Navratris are celebrated and girls are worshipped.When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Gujarat chief minister, he realized the need for social change and started ‘Beti Bachao Andalan’ which is now a countrywide campaign. Security is also needed against domestic violence,” Swaraj said.
The external affairs minister further said taht swalamban is economic independence. “Soon after, the PM brought the Mudra blank. Around Rs 4 lakh crore was given and 76% went to women. The Gujarat government is taking measures to empower women working in all sectors,” Swaraj said.
“The Ujwala scheme is a major step towards women’s empowerment for those who had to walk for hours to collect wood. Now, after getting a gas connection, she can do other work. As external affairs minister, I decided to ease rules under new norms and made the husband’s name not required after divorce. This is women’s empowerment. We allowed the use of the name of the mother for single parents. There are 142 schemes for women’s empowerment,” she said.
Reacting to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s remarks about the absence of women in the RSS, Swaraj said: “Rahulji is the party vice-president and he may become the president of the Congress. If he would have asked about role of women in the RSS, I would have given him some knowledge but his poor remarks are not fit for a response,” Swaraj said.