'Crime against women unforgivable, should not be spared': PM Modi amid Kolkata horror

PM Modi addressed the nationwide outrage over rising crimes against women, and assured that the government was strengthening laws to ensure perpetrators do not go unpunished.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that security of women in India is of utmost importance and that he has told state governments that “crimes against women are unforgivable”. Speaking at the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Modi stated: "The safety of women is crucial for our nation. I will reiterate to all state governments that there is no forgiveness for crimes against women. Whoever is at fault should not get away with it."

He highlighted the government's efforts to enhance legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms, including the introduction of amendments to existing laws and the creation of new systems to make justice more accessible to victims.

PM Modi made these remarks at a time when thousands of women across staged protests to call for justice in the horrific rape and death of a 31-year-old doctor from Kolkata. In Jalgaon, Maharashtra, on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with "Lakhpati Didis," or women who belong to self-help groups and make Rs 1 lakh a year. The prime minister is in attendance at a celebration honouring 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis who met the qualifying mark during his administration's third term.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, "You must have heard that India is going to become the third-largest economy in the world," during his speech to the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Jalgaon. "Women are heavily involved in it. But that wasn't the situation a few years back. The success of every family and every household is ensured by women. Nobody, though, could ensure that the ladies would receive assistance. Women were not the owners of property, and thus were unable to obtain bank loans if they needed them," he added.

Since the inception of the Lakhpati Didi scheme, one crore women have joined the initiative, with the government setting an ambitious target to make 3 crore women Lakhpati Didis, news agency PTI reported.