By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
BJP spokesperson Vinusha Reddy on Tuesday (September 16, 2025) said that women in India are safe and earn more respect when compared to their counterparts in other countries.
Ms. Reddy, who returned from the United States after participating in the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) organised by the U.S. Government, said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has taken several reforms for women and the 33% Women’s Reservation Bill will be a game-changer in politics.
Talking about the programme here on Tuesday, Ms. Reddy said that she was among the 22 delegates from countries including South Africa, Taiwan, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Singapore and others. “I was the sole delegate representing India, which is a matter of pride for me,” she said.
She said she had visited Washington D.C., Manchester, Boston, Columbia, and Salt Lake City, and interacted with lawmakers, legislators, government officials, and NGOs. The visit focused on exchange of ideas on how democracies and legal systems function, with wide-ranging discussions on governance and civic practices.
She said that the U.S. gives great importance to preserving history through museums, parliaments, and school textbooks, where children are taught from an early age about Native American struggles, the revolution against British rule, and the Civil War.
Speaking about women in politics, she noted that the U.S. still lags behind. “White women got voting rights only in 1920, while Black women got them in 1965. The country has never had a woman President, has had only one woman Vice President, and the first woman presidential candidate contested only in 2016. In contrast, countries like South Africa have more than 40% women’s representation,” she said.
She also observed that while the U.S. has strong civic discipline, it faces serious issues such as gun culture, homelessness, and drug abuse. With only two political parties, the nation remains deeply divided on issues like abortion, immigration, gun rights, and gender identity.
She said she met BJP National President J.P. Nadda during the latter’s recent visit to Visakhapatnam and submitted a detailed report on her U.S. visit in the presence of BJP State president P.V.N. Madhav, Union Minister Bhupatiraju Srinivasa Varma and State Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav.
