New Delhi, Jun 23 (IANS): Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday called for a change in mindset towards widows, asking "if a man can remarry, why can't a woman"?

"There is a problem in the mindset of the people, we need to change this mindset," Naidu said during the celebration of International Widows Day.

He also said that widowhood is sad for both men and women, but women suffer more.

Speaking during an event organised by the Loomba Foundation at the Vigyan Bhawan here, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad echoed the same sentiments.

"The steps taken for the empowerment of widows will not be successful unless it is taken as a mass movement. Without a change in attitude we can not change much," Prasad said.

The foundation, working for the widows across the world, was started by Lord Raj Loomba CBE in 1997.

Loomba urged the Indian government to take steps to improve the condition of widows in the country.

"India has 46 million widows, largest in any country. I urged the Indian government to set up a national commission for widows along side of the National Commission for Women. I also urged the government to include women in the minority section to provide them various assistance," Loomba said.