Pushkar Dhami: Women's Empowerment Should Transcend Politics
In a clarion call for sincerity in women's empowerment, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami has asserted that politics should not muddy the waters of gender equality. Speaking to a gathering in Dehradun, he underscored his commitment to women's welfare through both state and central government initiatives.
Dhami highlighted the substantial increase in budget allocations for women's programmes, with the Centre earmarking over ₹5 lakh crore in the 2026–27 Budget. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for prioritising women's empowerment since 2014, noting a fivefold rise in the gender budget.
State Initiatives and Reservations
On a state level, Dhami boasted of Uttarakhand's pioneering steps like implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to safeguard women's rights and reserving 30% of government jobs for women. These measures, he claims, have already begun to bear fruit, with notable improvements in gender indicators.
Taking a swipe at the opposition, Dhami lambasted their resistance to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, a legislation aimed at bolstering women's representation. He insisted that such political gamesmanship is a disservice to the very fabric of societal progress.
A Call for Unity
Concluding his speech, Dhami called for a unified approach towards women’s empowerment, urging political entities to set aside differences for the greater good. "It is high time we rise above partisan divides to truly empower our women," he declared, receiving applause from the assembled crowd.
