The Evening Wrap: PM Modi vows stricter laws against crimes on women

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 25 said his government is reinforcing laws to impose stricter punishments for crimes against women. “I assure you, the Central Government is with the State Governments in every way to stop atrocities against women. We cannot stop until this sinful mentality has been eradicated from Indian society,” Modi said. His statement comes in the wake of widespread protests in West Bengal following the death of a young female doctor who was raped and murdered allegedly at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Speaking at a Lakhpati Didi — women members of self-help groups who are earning ₹1 lakh annually – rally in Jalgaon, north Maharashtra, Modi said that his administration has done more for women in the last decade than all previous governments combined since Independence. He pointed out that before 2014, women self-help groups received less than ₹25,000 crore in loans, whereas in the past 10 years, this figure has surged to ₹9 lakh crore. During his visit to Jalgaon, he also interacted with Lakhpati Didis and launched a ₹2,500 crore revolving fund that will benefit 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh self-help groups. He also stressed the importance of the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra for the State’s continued stability and prosperity, noting that Maharashtra is a key player in India’s development, with its future hinging on further investments and job creation. The Lakhpati Didi scheme, Modi said, is designed not only to boost women’s incomes but also to empower future generations. He stressed the vital role women play in India’s economic growth, noting that while the country is on the path to becoming the world’s third-largest economy, this was not always the case. He noted that women have historically faced challenges, such as not having property in their names and struggling to secure bank loans, which hindered their ability to start small businesses. He described how his government has taken consistent steps to improve women’s lives, fulfilling promises made during the Lok Sabha elections, including making three crore women Lakhpati Didis — those earning over one lakh Rupees annually through self-help groups. In the past decade, one crore Lakhpati Didis were made, with an additional 11 lakh women added to this group in just the past two months. For developed India, guarantee of accessible justice to all is important, says PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 25 said the guarantee of simple and accessible justice to all is important as the country moves towards the dream of a developed India. Speaking at the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur, Modi also referred to his Independence Day remark on ‘secular civil code’ and said that the judiciary has been advocating this for decades. “As we move forward with the dream of a developed India, there should be a guarantee of simple, easy and accessible justice for everyone. This is very important,” he said. The Prime Minister said that today the people’s dreams, their aspirations are bigger, “so it is important that our systems are modernized”. “Innovation and modernisation of the system is equally important for providing justice for all,” he added. Kolkata doctor’s rape-murder: Main accused Sanjay Roy undergoing lie detection test at Presidency Jail The lie detection test on Sanjay Roy, the main accused in the alleged rape and murder of a R.G. Kar Medical College trainee doctor, is underway at Kolkata’s Presidency Jail where he is lodged, officials said on August 25. Two more individuals will undergo the test at the CBI office in Kolkata during the day, they said. Four persons including former principal Sandip Ghosh underwent the polygraph test on August 24, the officials said. The CBI has sought permission from court to put seven persons including Roy and former principal of the medical college Sandip Ghosh through the lie detector test. The test cannot be used as evidence during the trial but findings give the agency a direction for the further probe. A team of polygraph specialists flown to Kolkata from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi is conducting the tests, they said. Unified Pension Scheme: ‘U’ in UPS stands for Modi government’s U-turns, says Mallikarjun Kharge The Congress on August 25 took a jibe at the Centre over its announcement of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), saying the ‘U’ in UPS stands for Modi government’s “U-turns”. Fulfilling long pending demands of government employees ahead of Assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the UPS, which assures guaranteed pension. Taking a dig at the government, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The ‘U’ in UPS stands for Modi Govt’s U turns! Post June 4, the power of the people has prevailed over the arrogance of power of the Prime Minister. Rollback in the Budget regarding Long Term Capital Gain/Indexation. Sending Waqf Bill to JPC. Rollback of Broadcast Bill. Rollback of Lateral Entry.” Congress slams government over ‘unprecedented decline’ in real wages, calls it the ‘proverbial ostrich’ The Congress on August 25 claimed that a combination of slow wage growth and “back-breaking” inflation has caused an unprecedented decline in real wages and said that, like the “proverbial ostrich”, the government continues to remain blind to the most fundamental challenge faced by the Indian economy. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said a new report by a noted brokerage firm has once again shed light on the truth that the Union government has consistently denied — real household incomes in India are facing a persistent decline. Ramesh pointed out that several surveys and data sets, including the Annual Survey of Unregistered Enterprises (ASUSE), the Reserve Bank of India’s KLEMS data, and the Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES), have demonstrated financial distress among working class Indians. Multiple data sources, including the government’s own official statistics, have even shown clear evidence that workers can buy less today than they could 10 years ago, he said. “Labour Bureau’s Wage Rate Index (Government Data): Real wages for labourers stagnated between 2014-2023, and in fact declined between 2019-2024. Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Statistics at a Glance (Government Data): Under Dr Manmohan Singh, real wages for agricultural labourers grew at 6.8% each year. Under Mr. Modi, real wages for agricultural labourers declined by minus 1.3% each year,” he said. Citing periodic labour force survey series, Ramesh said average real earnings over time have stagnated between 2017 and 2022 across all employment types — salaried workers, casual workers, and self-employed workers. Citing Centre for Labour Research and Action data, he said real wages of brick kiln workers have stagnated or declined between 2014 and 2022. Brick kilns involve intensive labour and are a low-paying work of last resort for India’s poorest, he added. “Why is consumption growth so weak and why did private final consumption expenditure - the largest component of the GDP - grow at only around 4% in FY24,” he asked. Why are real wages and incomes stagnant or falling, he added. “Why has manufacturing as percentage of GDP fallen from 16.5% in UPA [United Progressive Alliance] to 14.5%? Why has this decline been particularly sharp in labour-intensive manufacturing like textiles? Why have India’s garment exports fallen from USD 15 billion in 2013-14 to USD 14.5 billion in 2023-2024?” the Congress leader said. Assam gang-rape case triggers political war The alleged gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in central Assam’s Dhing on August 22 has triggered a war of words between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress. Taking to X on August 24, the State BJP accused the Congress party of jumping to the defence of the rape accused, who the police claimed had drowned after jumping into a pond in a bid to escape from police custody. The accused, Taijul alias Tafazzul Ali, was in handcuffs. The BJP also posted screenshots of comments by some journalists against “encounters” of people accused of crimes in Assam without a trial. The Assam Congress countered by posting: “Nothing better was expected from @BJP4Assam than to communalize even rape & murder. To suppress voice of people you’ve started targeting journalists too. SHAMEFUL!” The party said its stand has always been clear “be it in Dhing, Lakhimpur, Hathras, Unnao, molestation of women wrestlers, rape & murder of doctor in Kolkata or garlanding of rapists & murderers of Bilkis Bano”. “INC condemns every incident with equal fervour & doesn’t shy away from selective criticism. Every perpetrator irrespective of caste, creed & religion must be apprehended & punished by law,” the Congress said, slamming the BJP for being “influenced” by an “aberrant” Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma. While political and social organisations criticised the government for failing to maintain law and order, the State’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh said the conviction rate in Assam under the erstwhile Indian Penal Code and Special and local laws increased from 16.75% in 2023 to 21.84% in 2024 up to July. The data emerged during a crime conference at the police headquarters in August, he said. Attributing the “effectiveness” to the ongoing judicial reforms and improvement in investigations, he said the increase in conviction rate underlined the commitment of the police toward enhancing judicial efficiency and delivering justice to all. Singh also said the submission of charge-sheets in criminal cases increased from 52.6% in 2023 to 64.56% by July this year. In Brief: The Israeli military announced early on August 25 that it was conducting pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon after detecting preparations for “large-scale” attacks by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The military also warned Israelis to expect incoming missiles and drones launched by Hezbollah, with air alert sirens sounding across the country’s north. Hezbollah issued a statement shortly after announcing a large-scale operation. In a message addressed to the residents of southern Lebanon early August 25 morning, the Israeli military said: “We are monitoring Hezbollah’s preparations to carry out large-scale attacks on Israeli territory near your homes. You are in danger. We are attacking and eliminating Hezbollah threats. [logo] The Evening Wrap 25 August 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Jalgaon rally: PM Modi vows stricter laws against crimes on women Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 25 said his government is reinforcing laws to [impose stricter punishments for crimes against women](. “I assure you, the Central Government is with the State Governments in every way to stop atrocities against women. We cannot stop until this sinful mentality has been eradicated from Indian society,” Modi said. His statement comes in the wake of widespread protests in West Bengal following the death of a young female doctor who was raped and murdered allegedly at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Speaking at a Lakhpati Didi — women members of self-help groups who are earning ₹1 lakh annually – rally in Jalgaon, north Maharashtra, Modi said that his administration has done more for women in the last decade than all previous governments combined since Independence. He pointed out that before 2014, women self-help groups received less than ₹25,000 crore in loans, whereas in the past 10 years, this figure has surged to ₹9 lakh crore. During his visit to Jalgaon, he also interacted with Lakhpati Didis and launched a ₹2,500 crore revolving fund that will benefit 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh self-help groups. He also stressed the importance of the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra for the State’s continued stability and prosperity, noting that Maharashtra is a key player in India’s development, with its future hinging on further investments and job creation. The Lakhpati Didi scheme, Modi said, is designed not only to boost women’s incomes but also to empower future generations. He stressed the vital role women play in India’s economic growth, noting that while the country is on the path to becoming the world’s third-largest economy, this was not always the case. He noted that women have historically faced challenges, such as not having property in their names and struggling to secure bank loans, which hindered their ability to start small businesses. He described how his government has taken consistent steps to improve women’s lives, fulfilling promises made during the Lok Sabha elections, including making three crore women Lakhpati Didis — those earning over one lakh Rupees annually through self-help groups. In the past decade, one crore Lakhpati Didis were made, with an additional 11 lakh women added to this group in just the past two months. For developed India, guarantee of accessible justice to all is important, says PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 25 said the [guarantee of simple and accessible justice to all]( is important as the country moves towards the dream of a developed India. Speaking at the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur, Modi also referred to his Independence Day remark on ‘secular civil code’ and said that the judiciary has been advocating this for decades. “As we move forward with the dream of a developed India, there should be a guarantee of simple, easy and accessible justice for everyone. This is very important,” he said. The Prime Minister said that today the people’s dreams, their aspirations are bigger, “so it is important that our systems are modernized”. “Innovation and modernisation of the system is equally important for providing justice for all,” he added. Kolkata doctor’s rape-murder: Main accused Sanjay Roy undergoing lie detection test at Presidency Jail The [lie detection test on Sanjay Roy]( the main accused in the alleged rape and murder of a R.G. Kar Medical College trainee doctor, is underway at Kolkata’s Presidency Jail where he is lodged, officials said on August 25. Two more individuals will undergo the test at the CBI office in Kolkata during the day, they said. Four persons including former principal Sandip Ghosh underwent the polygraph test on August 24, the officials said. The CBI has sought permission from court to put seven persons including Roy and former principal of the medical college Sandip Ghosh through the lie detector test. The test cannot be used as evidence during the trial but findings give the agency a direction for the further probe. A team of polygraph specialists flown to Kolkata from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi is conducting the tests, they said. Unified Pension Scheme: ‘U’ in UPS stands for Modi government’s U-turns, says Mallikarjun Kharge The Congress on August 25 took a jibe at the Centre over its announcement of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), saying the [‘U’ in UPS stands for Modi government’s “U-turns”](. Fulfilling long pending demands of government employees ahead of Assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the UPS, which assures guaranteed pension. Taking a dig at the government, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The ‘U’ in UPS stands for Modi Govt’s U turns! Post June 4, the power of the people has prevailed over the arrogance of power of the Prime Minister. Rollback in the Budget regarding Long Term Capital Gain/Indexation. Sending Waqf Bill to JPC. Rollback of Broadcast Bill. Rollback of Lateral Entry.” Congress slams government over ‘unprecedented decline’ in real wages, calls it the ‘proverbial ostrich’ The Congress on August 25 claimed that a combination of slow wage growth and “back-breaking” inflation has [caused an unprecedented decline in real wages]( and said that, like the “proverbial ostrich”, the government continues to remain blind to the most fundamental challenge faced by the Indian economy. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said a new report by a noted brokerage firm has once again shed light on the truth that the Union government has consistently denied — real household incomes in India are facing a persistent decline. Ramesh pointed out that several surveys and data sets, including the Annual Survey of Unregistered Enterprises (ASUSE), the Reserve Bank of India’s KLEMS data, and the Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES), have demonstrated financial distress among working class Indians. Multiple data sources, including the government’s own official statistics, have even shown clear evidence that workers can buy less today than they could 10 years ago, he said. “Labour Bureau’s Wage Rate Index (Government Data): Real wages for labourers stagnated between 2014-2023, and in fact declined between 2019-2024. Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Statistics at a Glance (Government Data): Under Dr Manmohan Singh, real wages for agricultural labourers grew at 6.8% each year. Under Mr. Modi, real wages for agricultural labourers declined by minus 1.3% each year,” he said. Citing periodic labour force survey series, Ramesh said average real earnings over time have stagnated between 2017 and 2022 across all employment types — salaried workers, casual workers, and self-employed workers. Citing Centre for Labour Research and Action data, he said real wages of brick kiln workers have stagnated or declined between 2014 and 2022. Brick kilns involve intensive labour and are a low-paying work of last resort for India’s poorest, he added. “Why is consumption growth so weak and why did private final consumption expenditure - the largest component of the GDP - grow at only around 4% in FY24,” he asked. Why are real wages and incomes stagnant or falling, he added. “Why has manufacturing as percentage of GDP fallen from 16.5% in UPA [United Progressive Alliance] to 14.5%? Why has this decline been particularly sharp in labour-intensive manufacturing like textiles? Why have India’s garment exports fallen from USD 15 billion in 2013-14 to USD 14.5 billion in 2023-2024?” the Congress leader said. Assam gang-rape case triggers political war The alleged gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in central Assam’s Dhing on August 22 has [triggered a war of words]( between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress. Taking to X on August 24, the State BJP accused the Congress party of jumping to the defence of the rape accused, who the police claimed had drowned after jumping into a pond in a bid to escape from police custody. The accused, Taijul alias Tafazzul Ali, was in handcuffs. The BJP also posted screenshots of comments by some journalists against “encounters” of people accused of crimes in Assam without a trial. The Assam Congress countered by posting: “Nothing better was expected from @BJP4Assam than to communalize even rape & murder. To suppress voice of people you’ve started targeting journalists too. SHAMEFUL!” The party said its stand has always been clear “be it in Dhing, Lakhimpur, Hathras, Unnao, molestation of women wrestlers, rape & murder of doctor in Kolkata or garlanding of rapists & murderers of Bilkis Bano”. “INC condemns every incident with equal fervour & doesn’t shy away from selective criticism. Every perpetrator irrespective of caste, creed & religion must be apprehended & punished by law,” the Congress said, slamming the BJP for being “influenced” by an “aberrant” Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma. While political and social organisations criticised the government for failing to maintain law and order, the State’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh said the conviction rate in Assam under the erstwhile Indian Penal Code and Special and local laws increased from 16.75% in 2023 to 21.84% in 2024 up to July. The data emerged during a crime conference at the police headquarters in August, he said. Attributing the “effectiveness” to the ongoing judicial reforms and improvement in investigations, he said the increase in conviction rate underlined the commitment of the police toward enhancing judicial efficiency and delivering justice to all. Singh also said the submission of charge-sheets in criminal cases increased from 52.6% in 2023 to 64.56% by July this year. In Brief: The Israeli military announced early on August 25 that it was [conducting pre-emptive strikes in Lebanon after detecting preparations for “large-scale” attacks]( by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. The military also warned Israelis to expect incoming missiles and drones launched by Hezbollah, with air alert sirens sounding across the country’s north. Hezbollah issued a statement shortly after announcing a large-scale operation. In a message addressed to the residents of southern Lebanon early August 25 morning, the Israeli military said: “We are monitoring Hezbollah’s preparations to carry out large-scale attacks on Israeli territory near your homes. You are in danger. We are attacking and eliminating Hezbollah threats. 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