Amaravati, April 17: State Minister Satya Kumar Yadav on Friday strongly condemned the remarks made by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in Parliament during the debate on the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill, demanding that Gandhi immediately retract his statements and offer an unconditional apology to the people of the country.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP State office in Vijayawada, the Minister said it was deeply irresponsible of Gandhi to mock Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a time when Parliament was engaged in a crucial debate on women's empowerment. He described Gandhi's references to the Prime Minister as a "jadugar" and a "magician" as unworthy of a Leader of Opposition, and said his remarks undermining the country's military strength were wholly unacceptable.

Satya Kumar Yadav said Prime Minister Modi's leadership had been clearly visible in enhancing India's stature on the international stage and in driving national development. He asserted that the Central government's decisions on national security and military strength had made India significantly more powerful, pointing in particular to the firm stance adopted against Pakistan in bolstering the country's defence.

The Minister said Congress party's opposition to the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill had laid bare the party's true attitude towards women's empowerment. He added that the Central government's transparent and corruption-free governance continued to enjoy strong public support.

On the delimitation issue, Satya Kumar Yadav said the increase in parliamentary seats following the census was intended to ensure justice for southern States, with the possibility of up to a 50 per cent increase in seats for the south. He criticised the Congress for having fostered a sense of division between northern and southern States during its tenure in power.

The Minister said the BJP would welcome support from any party for decisions aimed at women's development and national progress.