Kolkata, June 24 (IANS): Stressing on the need for women empowerment, union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said it was unfortunate for the country that women were not safe even in states ruled by women chief ministers.
Addressing the 'Nari Samman Yatra' rally here, Gadkari said merely changing a government will not change the scenario, but it is the society that needs to be changed to secure the welfare of women.
"We keep on saying about the need for the security of women and protecting their honour. But the continuous atrocities and crimes on them, surely has been a matter for concern.
"It is a truth that in states where we have women chief ministers, whose duty is to protect the women, in these states also the women are not safe. This is surely an unfortunate matter for the country," he said.
The programme has been organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party's women wing to spread countrywide awareness about the Narendra Modi government's schemes for women welfare.
"We want to change this scenario, but for that, only changing a government is not sufficient, we need to change the society. We want to end social inequality and the Narendra Modi government is committed towards providing equal opportunities to men and women," said Gadkari, a former BJP president.
While the Bengal leadership including state president Rahul Sinha hit out at the Mamata Banerjee government for its failure to protect the women of the state, Gadkari during his address, preferred talking about the central government's initiatives in various fields.
"Today there are many villages where there are no toilets, schools, or drinking water facilities. Many villages do not have even the basic health services. There are farmer suicides and the youth are unemployed.
"To fight all these, our government has brought in many schemes not only to provide social security but to bring in rural development," said Gadkari enumerating various central schemes.
He also said the central government was endeavouring to provide skill development both in rural and urban areas.
"The country's progress is possible only when men and women contribute to the cause equally. The Modi government's mission is to ensure security and welfare of the women and we are making progress in this regard," added Gadkari.