PM Modi Attacks RJD-Congress Over Abuse To His Dead Mother

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently condemned derogatory remarks made by RJD and Congress during a Bihar event. He emphasised the importance of women's empowerment through initiatives like Jeevika Nidhi, which supports rural women's entrepreneurship.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday criticised the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress for derogatory comments made against him and his mother during a Voter Adhikar Yatra event in Bihar.

He expressed that these remarks were not only an affront to his mother but also to all mothers, sisters, and daughters across India. Modi was taken aback by such behaviour occurring in the culturally rich state of Bihar.

He said, "...These 'yuvraaj' born in royal families cannot understand the 'tapasya' of a poor mother and the pain of her son. They were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. They think that the power of the country and of Bihar is the legacy of their family. They feel that they should only get the chair. But you, the people of the country, blessed the hardworking son of a poor mother and made him the Prime Servant. They are not able to digest this...The list of abuses they hurled at me is very long..."

PM Modi virtually inaugurated the Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited alongside Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha. He praised CM Nitish Kumar and the Bihar government for this "wonderful initiative." Modi emphasised that empowering women is crucial for India's development.

Attacking further, he said, "The mindset that abuses the mother, the mindset that abuses the sister, considers women to be weak. This mindset considers women to be objects of exploitation and oppression. Therefore, whenever the anti-women mindset has come to power, mothers, sisters and daughters have suffered the most. During the RJD era, crime and criminals were rampant in Bihar. When murder, ransom and rape were common. The RJD government used to give protection to murderers and rapists. Who had to bear the brunt of that RJD rule? The women of Bihar had to bear it..."

Empowering Women Through Jeevika Nidhi

The Jeevika Nidhi aims to provide community members associated with Jeevika easy access to funds at lower interest rates. All registered cluster-level federations under Jeevika will join this cooperative society. Both the Bihar Government and Central Government will financially support its operations.

Entrepreneurship among women linked with Jeevika's self-help groups has thrived over time, resulting in many small businesses and producer companies in rural areas. However, these women often rely on microfinance institutions charging high interest rates of 18-24 per cent. The Jeevika Nidhi offers an alternative financial system to reduce dependence on MFIs by providing larger loans at lower rates.

Digital Platform for Transparency

This system will function entirely on a digital platform, ensuring quicker and more transparent fund transfers directly into the bank accounts of Jeevika Didis. To facilitate this process, 12,000 community cadres are being equipped with tablets. This initiative is expected to bolster entrepreneurship development among rural women and accelerate community-led enterprise growth.

Modi shared that he was separated from his mother so he could serve other women in the country. He mentioned that his mother, who lived to be 100 years old and had no political involvement, was insulted by RJD and Congress leaders. He empathised with the pain felt by mothers in Bihar due to these remarks.

This initiative is anticipated to empower around 20 lakh women throughout Bihar as they witness its launch. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) highlighted that removing obstacles from women's lives is essential for their empowerment, which is why various efforts are being made to simplify life for mothers, sisters, and daughters.