New Delhi, 17 April (H.S.):

Ahead of the scheduled 4 p.m. vote in the Lok Sabha on amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a heartfelt appeal to all parliamentarians, urging them to support unanimous passage of this landmark legislation.

In a poignant message on the social media platform X, PM Modi described the moment as a pivotal opportunity to empower India's women and secure their rightful place in governance. He implored lawmakers to reflect on the mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives in their own lives, listen to the voice of their conscience, and refrain from denying women new avenues of opportunity.

Expressing firm confidence, the Prime Minister stated that consensus approval of the amendment would fortify both the nation's Nari Shakti and its democratic edifice. Let us forge history together and grant India's half-population its due, he exhorted.

PM Modi highlighted the exhaustive late-night debates in Parliament, where all concerns and misconceptions received reasoned resolutions alongside vital information. Noting that women's reservation has fueled political discourse for four decades, he asserted that the time has arrived to accord women equitable representation in decision-making processes.

Extending the appeal to all political parties, he called for voting with sensitivity and responsibility, mindful that millions of women across the country are watching Parliament's verdict intently. No step, he cautioned, should wound their sentiments.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar