GORAKHPUR, April 23 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday hit out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, accusing them of having a "history of being anti-women" and denying women their rightful empowerment. Addressing the gathering under the Nari Shakti Vandan campaign at Baba Gambhir Nath Auditorium, the chief minister said, "Women cannot be deprived of their rights for long; empowerment is not charity but their entitlement." "Even SP's daughters felt scared," he added, alleging that previous governments had failed to ensure women's safety. Adityanath said there was an urgent need to provide women with real rights and opportunities, asserting that both the SP and the Congress had neglected this responsibility during their tenure. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with ensuring the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the new Parliament building in 2023, while claiming that opposition parties, including the SP, the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) blocked the latest amendment bill. Highlighting steps taken by his government, the chief minister said 20% reservation for women in police recruitment had been made mandatory. He noted that while around 10,000 women were recruited into the police force between 1947 and 2017, over 44,000-45,000 have been recruited since 2017. He further claimed that more than 9 lakh government jobs had been provided in the state since 2017, including nearly 1.75 lakh to women. He added that women account for nearly half of the participation in over 21,000 startups launched in Uttar Pradesh. Emphasising that women's political participation is essential for building a developed India, Adityanath said women already have strong representation in panchayats and local bodies, claiming that 54% of block chiefs in the state are women. He also highlighted various government initiatives aimed at ensuring women's dignity, security and economic empowerment. Before the event, the CM visited an exhibition showcasing women's welfare schemes, interacted with self-help group members and encouraged them towards economic self-reliance. He alleged that opposition parties raised slogans on women's issues for political gain but failed to take concrete steps when in power....