Not Far From Women's Due Parliament Representation: Vice President

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stated that the day is not far when women will get proper representation in the parliament and legislative assemblies through a constitutional amendment on September 4 while speaking about "women’s participation in nation-building."

The Vice President was speaking on the topic while addressing students of the Maharani Mahavidyalaya, a Jaipur college affiliated with Rajasthan University.

Encouraging Women's Empowerment

While interacting with the female college students, the Vice President stated that the sky is the limit for women as they are creating new models of success in every field, including administration, the corporate world, and the army.

He encouraged women to make their own decisions and become self-sufficient. He added, "Don’t copy men; they aren’t better than you; keep yourselves original."

VP Dhankhar shared three mantras with the female students: never get stressed, as nothing is achieved through that; never be afraid of failure; and if you get a good idea, implement it on the ground. He asked them not to get overly competitive with each other and to choose their careers according to their interests.

VP On Women Representation In Parliament

Further, the Vice President expressed that he was confident that the day is not far when women will get their due representation in the parliament and legislative assemblies through a constitutional amendment. He said that if women get this reservation at the earliest, India will become a world power by 2047.

Speaking about education for women, Dhankhar observed that while educating a boy will only benefit one family, educating a girl will benefit several families.

Responding to a question by a student on women’s safety, the Vice President said that it wasn’t only the work of the government but also society, individuals, and institutions to jointly put in their efforts to create a safe environment for women.

He expressed happiness that the country was going to change the penal code drafted by the British and asserted that anti-social elements would be dealt with strictly.

Further, he shared that he had derived all his strength from his maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother, mother, and wife. He noted that these women stood by him as firm as a rock through all the ups and downs of his five-decade-long public life.

Positive Changes In Society's Attitude

Dhankhar also highlighted the changing attitude towards women in the country. He pointed out that he has promoted the gender-neutral term "chairperson: in the Rajya Sabha instead of "chairman," adding that now the Panel of Vice-Chairman is called "Panel of Vice-Chairperson."

He also shared that, for the first time, he had appointed 50 percent of women to the panel of deputy chairpersons of the Rajya Sabha and noted that they excelled in their performances. He also mentioned that whenever he decides the names of delegations of members for a trip within the country or abroad, he prioritises women.

He added that although there have been attempts to hinder the progress of women in society, there's been a positive change in attitude in recent times. He quoted the example of 78 women MPs being elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019 for the first time, adding that the world cannot achieve progress without women’s contribution.

He also appreciated the role of female scientists who were behind the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 and the Aditya mission. He recalled that during his overseas visits a decade ago, India was among the five weakest countries. He proudly mentioned how India has today risen among the top five economies in the world and will soon be the world’s third-largest economy.

The vice president, who is also an alumnus of Rajasthan University, expressed happiness over meeting teachers on the eve of Teacher’s Day.

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