New criminal law ensuring faster justice to women: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked International Women’s Day by reaffirming his government’s commitment to women-led development, saying the blessings of Indian women were his greatest shield.

Addressing a gathering of one lakh women self-help group members earning Rs 1 lakh annually in Gujarat’s Navsari, PM Modi said, “Women’s blessings are my strength, wealth and shield.”

Emphasising India’s shift toward women-led development, he said, “Our government places utmost importance on the dignity and convenience of women.” He highlighted the crucial role of rural women in transforming the rural economy, adding, “Nari Shakti is rising, surpassing every fear and doubt. Over the past decade, we have given women’s safety the highest priority.”

Reiterating his government’s commitment to women’s security, Modi said the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was expediting justice for victims of sexual assault.

“The penal code now mandates that charges for heinous crimes like rape be framed within 60 days and verdicts delivered within 45 days. New laws allow e-FIRs to be filed from anywhere, making it easier for the police to take immediate action. Under the provision of zero FIR, any woman can file an FIR at any police station if she faces atrocities. Also, the police can now record statements of rape victims through audio-video means, which has been legally recognised,” Modi said, adding that the time taken by doctors to forward medical reports has been fixed at seven days.

To drive home his point, the PM recalled a recent gangrape case in Surat where charges were framed within 15 days and culprits sentenced to life within few weeks.

He added that in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, a court had sentenced a minor’s rapist to 20 years in prison, marking the first conviction under the BNS within 30 days of filing the chargesheet.

“In Kolkata, a court sentenced a convict to death for raping a seven-month-old baby, with the verdict delivered within 80 days of the crime,” the PM said, stressing that BNS was enhancing women’s safety.

Central Railway runs all-woman Vande Bharat

The Central Railway on Friday operated a Vande Bharat Express train with an all-women crew on Saturday to mark the International Women’s Day. The CSMT-Sainagar Shirdi Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 22223) was wholly managed by women, marking women’s growing role in railway operations and promoting gender inclusivity, a Central Railway spokesperson said. TNS

Among initiatives for women’s empowerment, Modi listed criminalisation of triple talaq and abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, a move that, he said, ensured rights for Muslim women who would earlier lose property if they married someone outside the state.

Modi also hailed women for excelling in every sector and said the government had seen the highest number of female ministers, with women’s presence in Parliament also improving. The 17th Lok Sabha had 78 women MPs and 18th LS has 74.

“In district courts women’s presence has exceeded 35 per cent. In many states, over 50 per cent of new recruits as civil judges are women,” the PM said, adding that India was the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with nearly half of the startups with women in leadership roles.