New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Union Textiles and Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Monday said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the narrative has shifted from women’s development to women-led development.
She also stated that now women not only lead change for themselves but also for other women, adding that for the first time Gender Inclusion Fund was introduced into the National Education policy.
“Under PM’s leadership, the narrative has shifted from women’s development to women-led development. We now lead change not just for us but also for other women. Because of this, for the 1st time in National Education policy’s history, we have Gender Inclusion Fund”, said the Union Minister while addressing a gathering of women MPs and journalists on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
She further said, “There are still skies to touch. Our flag and Constitution are one despite being from different political ideologies.”
“Women who have gathered here today are often celebrated societally for our strength and achievements. Not many look at the chip on our shoulders, a chip on which we falter at times publically and on social media. Where the impact is strong as we get ‘trolled’ but also we get opportunities in the August House where irrespective of our ideologies, we speak on issues that bring transformation”, added Irani.
Addressing the same event, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman on Monday said nuanced discrimination, even in language, is often accepted and not objected to, due to its subtlety. She added that language needs to be gender-sensitive and wrong language shouldn’t be encouraged.
“Language of communication has to be gender-sensitive. We stand up each time for use of the right language. We come across language both formal and informal that doesn’t recognise an implicit gender bias. We need to say language needs to be gender-sensitive. We shouldn’t encourage such language,” said Sitharaman while addressing a gathering of women MPs and journalists.
Giving an example she quoted a popular Hindi expression the Union Finance Minister said, “Arey main choodi pehen ke baitha hoon kya?” (Am I just sitting here wearing bangles like a woman?) That means you don’t have courage. Each one of us has to say that we don’t accept such language and expressions.”
Another problem she spoke about was facing different terms of engagement for both genders. “We are MPs, but we are often treated as women first, and MPs later. We have to make a conscious attempt to change these things. We need to do more,” she said.
International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide every year on March 8 to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the globe. This year, the theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose to Challenge’. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party Lok Sabha Floor Leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Leader of the TMC Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien on Monday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman respectively requesting them to adjourn the second part of the Budget session in view of the upcoming Assembly polls in four states and one Union Territory.
“Due to the intensive ongoing election preparations in the state, the Members of Parliament from All India Trinamool Congress would find it difficult to attend the second part of the Budget session beginning from March 8,” Derek O’Brien wrote in the letter.
“We (TMC) urge you to consider the adjournment of the ongoing Parliament session,” the TMC MP added.
He also cited two earlier occassions in the letter when the same had been done in view of forthcoming Assembly polls.
Earlier, Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday following a ruckus over fuel prices in the parliament.
Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed repeated adjournments following sloganeering by the Opposition MPs.
“We will continue our agitation (demanding a discussion on fuel price rise) when Rajya Sabha reconvenes at 1 pm,” said Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.
“Petrol and diesel prices are nearly Rs 100 per litre and Rs 80 per litre respectively. Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices have also gone up. Rs 21 lakh crores have been collected by putting excise duty/cess, because of this entire country including farmers are suffering,” Kharge had said. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday extended the parole of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, serving a 10-year jail term in a teachers’ recruitment scam, till April 12.
A division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani also listed Chautala’s plea seeking directions to the authorities concerned to release him by granting special remission in view of related notification of 2020 for further hearing on April 12.
Meanwhile, the high court directed the Delhi government to file an affidavit with a relevant record in the petition filed by Chautala, seeking release by granting the benefit of special remission.
Chautala had approached the high court through his lawyer Amit Sahni submitting that the state should have released him considering his age and disability and that his case was covered under the notification issued by the government of India, whereby prisoners with 60 years and above were to be released in half of their sentence.
The petitioner has submitted that he has almost undergone the entire incarceration and as such in view of the earlier order passed in December 2019 by the division bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, the Delhi government has not granted special remission to him.
Chautala and others were convicted and sentenced in the case of illegal recruitment of 3,206 junior basic teachers (JBT) in 2013.
On January 22, 2013, a trial court had sentenced 55 accused in the teachers’ recruitment scam case for illegally recruiting 3,206 teachers in Haryana in 2000. Others sentenced in the case include Chautala’s son Ajay Singh Chautala, his then political advisor Sher Singh Badshami, the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Vidya Dhar, IAS and then Primary Education Director Sanjiv Kumar. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the celebration of the 75th year of independence of the country will reflect the “pride of Sanatan India and the glow of modern India”.
Speaking at the committee meeting to mark 75 years of independence, the Prime Minister said, “The 75th Independence Day will be the celebration of the spirit of freedom struggle and the reflection of the feeling of sacrifice. There should be a tribute to the martyrs of the country and a resolve to build an India of their dreams. It will have a glimpse of the pride of Sanatan India and the glow of modern India as well.”
Emphasising the need for people’s participation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We have to celebrate this festival of 75 years of independence by taking 130 crore countrymen together. Public participation is the core spirit of this event. The country cannot progress by denying anyone’s contribution. The country goes forward by accepting and respecting everyone’s contributions and we want to follow this mantra.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi identified five agendas for the celebration.
“Freedom Struggle, Ideas at 75, Achievements at 75, Actions at 75 and Resolve at 75 — we have to move forward with these five aspects. All these should include the ideas and feelings of 130 crore people of the country,” said Prime Minister Modi.
He further said, “Today, India is doing things that could not be imagined until a few years ago. In this journey of 75 years, the country has reached here gradually. There are contributions of so many people to the country in this journey.”
“There is hardly any place or corner in the country that does not have any son or daughter who sacrificed their lives for the nation. When these sacrifices and their stories will come to light, these will be a source of great inspiration,” added PM Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led panel held the first meeting on the commemoration of 75 years of India’s Independence titled ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’.
India is going to celebrate its 75th Independence Day this year.
On January 31, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021’s first Mann ki Baat had appealed to the countrymen to write about freedom fighters and stories of their struggle to mark the country’s 75th Independence Day this year. (ANI)

Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 8 (ANI): Tablets were distributed among the meritorious students — who have excelled in board examinations — in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Monday.
Ten meritorious students from Billawer, Basholi, and Kathua were given the free cost digital learning tab for support in their higher studies. The newly renovated resources center for online classes is set up for future online classes in government schools.
Director of School Education Jammu Anuradha Gupta said that the government is working on the holistic development of students, art integrated learning, and flexibility in learning choice for skill development.
“The tabs have been given with an objective to motivate them as their merit has been recognised. The digital interventions are very important, this gives a world of information,” said Gupta.
The Director of School Education also lauded the effort put in by the team to give a fillip to the hidden talent of staff and students and hailed it as a unique idea of nurturing not only the hidden tendencies of students but teachers also which otherwise remain unexplored. (ANI)

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 8 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Monday virtually provided 900 two-wheelers (Disha Vehicles) to the state’s women police on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
The CM also launched 18 Crime Scene Management Vehicles.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita also participated in the program at the CM camp office.
Speaking to the media on the occasion, the Home Minister said, “Special help desks for women have been arranged at all police stations in the state. They have come into force from today itself. I also thank our Chief Minister for increasing the number of casual leaves for women employees to 20 days per year.”
Andhra Pradesh Director-General of Police, Gautam Sawang, said: “The rate of crimes against women has decreased in the state by more than seven per cent in the past year.”
He also added that after implementing Disha act in the state, which is still to be ratified by the central government, investigation, trial and, conviction in crime cases against women have speeded up, leading to better results.
International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide every year on March 8 to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the globe.
This year, the theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose to Challenge’. (ANI)