TSF/system observer
Urges the members of the Rajya Sabha to support the Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam unanimously
New Delhi September 19 : The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha in the New Parliament Building today.
Addressing the House, the Prime Minister remarked that today’s occasion is historic and memorable. He recalled his address in the Lok Sabha and expressed gratitude towards the Chair for the opportunity to address the Rajya Sabha on this special occasion.
Noting that the Rajya Sabha is considered the Upper House of the Parliament, the Prime Minister underlined the intentions of the makers of the Constitution that the House become a center for serious intellectual discussions rising above the ebb and flow of political discourse while giving a direction to the nation. “It is the natural expectation of the country”, the Prime Minister said as he noted that such contributions to the nation increase the value of the proceedings.
The Prime Minister quoted Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan that the Parliament is not just a legislative body but a deliberative body. Shri Modi said that it is always a pleasure to hear quality debates in Rajya Sabha. New Parliament, he said, is not just a new building but is also a symbol of a new beginning. At the dawn of Amrit Kaal, this new building will infuse a new energy in 140 crore Indians, he said.
The Prime Minister stressed the need to achieve goals in a set time frame as the nation is no longer ready to wait. He said that the time has come to move with new thinking and style to meet the aspirations of the people and that will require expanding the scope of work and thought process.
The Prime Minister said that the House can be a source of inspiration for the legislative bodies all over the country with regard to parliamentary probity.
Throwing light on the decisions taken in the last 9 years, the Prime Minister pointed out those issues that have been pending for decades and were considered monumental. “Touching upon such issues was considered a huge mistake from the political standpoint”, the Prime Minister said as he mentioned that the government took major strides in this direction even though they did not have the required numbers in the Rajya Sabha. He expressed satisfaction that the issues were taken up and resolved for the betterment of the nation and credited the maturity and intellect of the Members for the same. “The dignity of the Rajya Sabha was upheld not because of sheer numbers in the house but due to the dexterity and understanding”, he added. The Prime Minister thanked all the members of the House for this feat.
Jan Dhan and Mudra Yojana. He mentioned Ujjwala and elimination of Triple Talaq and stronger laws for women’s safety. He said women-led development was the biggest topic of discussion in G20.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the issue of reservation for women in the Parliament has been pending for decades and everyone has contributed towards it in their capacity. Pointing out that the bill was first introduced in 1996 and numerous deliberations and discussions took place during Atal Ji’s tenure, but the bill could not see the light of day due to the lack of numbers, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the bill will finally become law and ensure ‘Nari Shakti’ towards nation building with the new energy of the New Building. He informed about the Government’s decision to introduce the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam as a Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha today which will be up for debate tomorrow. The Prime Minister concluded the address by urging the members of the Rajya Sabha to support the bill unanimously so that its power and outreach are amplified to the fullest.
