PM Narendra Modi targets Opposition over decision to rise marriage age of women

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday proudly stood with the decision of increasing the marrying age of women from 18 to 21 and slammed the Opposition who are against the move.

Speaking at a government function in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, attended by over two lakh women, PM Modi said: "The Central government has taken a significant step. Earlier, the age of marriage of women was 18 years. But girls also want to have more time to study. That is why we are trying to increase the age of marriage to 21".

Without naming any party in particular, he mentioned, "If anyone has a problem with that, they (the women) are seeing that too".

Two MPs of Samajwadi Party, along with the leaders of the Congress, CPM and several others, have claimed that the Bill will be opposed in the parliament. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has, however, distanced himself from the issue, saying the SP is a "progressive party".

"What did I say to the women of UP? To use their power, now even PM Modi has bent a knee," Ms Gandhi Vadra was quoted as saying after the Prime Minister's address today.

"Why didn't he announce this in the last five years? Why now, before elections? Women have woken up with our 'Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon' slogan," she added.

Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi said that Uttar Pradesh has come way ahead of the gundaraj and mafia-raj.

"Till five years ago, there was mafia-raj and goondaraj in Uttar Pradesh. The biggest sufferers were women. But you could say nothing. If you went to police stations, a phone call in favour of rapists and criminals would come. But Yogi has put the criminals in their place," he said.

"Women have realised that they no longer want to be confined to their homes, they no longer want to go back to how things used to be. Hence, they know not to bring back previous governments in the state who did nothing for them. Today, women know which party works for their benefit," he added.