'First Restore Wife's Status, Then Take Up Women's Cause'

The Bidhipur Village in Jind district of Haryana, a pioneer in raising women-related issues, on Thursday locked horns with BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

Modi was asked how he could talk about women empowerment and safety, having deserted his wife for the past 45 years.

He was asked to take her back and restore her status and dignity before talking further on this subject.

Sunil Jaglan, sarpanch of Bidhipur village, told ‘Express’ that a sabha, attended by a large number of women, had appealed to Modi to  publicly acknowledge  Jashodaben Chimanlal as his wife.

Jaglan stressed that this step was imperative for Modi as only this would restore faith of 49 per cent of women voters in the country about his bid for women’s security and empowerment.

“We were quite shocked that Modi, who wants to be the Prime Minister, forgot about his wife. Modi has not given any due rights to Jashodaben, who’s been living a lonely life for past several decades,” he said.

Social activist Ritu Jaglan said, “The Hindu religion confers a lot of rights upon a wife. Whatever the husband achieves is down to his wife, and if Modi wants to be the PM, he should not undermine or forget the role his wife’s devotion and sacrifice played in that.”

While filing his nomination for Vadodara Lok Sabha Seat, Modi had mentioned Jashodaben as his wife.

For the first time ever, in an affidavit submitted alongside the nomination papers, Modi had stated that he was married.

Before this, Modi used to leave the column of spouse blank.

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The New Indian Express
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