Reiterating his government commitment towards dignity, safety and empowerment of women and girls of the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday launched the ambitious state-wide Mission Shakti programme with a stern warning to those who perpetrate crimes against the fairer sex.

Launching Mission Shakti in Balrampur where it would continue for the next six months till Basant Navratri, the chief minister said his government had zero tolerance towards crimes against women and girls.

“Those who cast an evil eye on the dignity and self-respect of women will find no place in the state. The perpetrators of such crimes are a blot on society and the government will deal with them with a heavy hand,” Yogi thundered during his impassioned address on women safety, security and dignity.

The chief minister, who launched Mission Shakti from Balrampur, the work place of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, described women as a symbol of Shakti. “Women are venerable in our eternal tradition and Navratra signifies this. In the changing times, the new generation should become the carrier of our eternal tradition which always professes the cause of women as the prime duty of mankind,” he pointed out.

The chief minister said that Mission Shakti was a reminder of our duty towards women and girls. Asserting to bring home the issue of gender equality and terming female foeticide as a curse, Yogi said that girl protection and respect to them should start from home itself and everyone should realise that there was nothing like gender discrimination.

The chief minister also expressed his strong views against child marriage and said these rituals should be publicly condemned.

He said that schemes like Samuhik Vivah Yojana, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana of the Central and the state government were  in place to ensure uplift of women and their collective welfare.

Yogi also emphasised on the facilities provided by the government to protect women and girls and asked them to approach those when in distress.

“In case of violence against women, 1090, 1070 and 112 and 189 numbers are always at their service,” he said.

Terming the recent Balrampur incident against a girl as unfortunate, the chief minister said that Mission Shakti was a tribute to her. “The first phase of Mission Shakti will focus on spreading awareness towards ensuring safety and dignity to women and girls. In the second phase, Operation Shakti will target eve-teasers and put them to punishment or reforms. If such elements do not mend their ways, they will have to face social boycott and their pictures will be displayed publicly,” he said.

The chief minister said that this year, Ramlila and Durga Puja pandals would also spread the message of Mission Shakti which would have involvement of 24 departments .

Various events are lined up during this programme during which 100 role models among the women lot will be identified in each district to help spread the message of women safety, self-respect and self-reliance.