High girl dropout rate due to no toilets in schools: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday attributed the high numbers of girl children dropping out of schools to lack of toilets in schools.

Addressing a BJP election rally here, Modi, noting he was "being criticized by political adversaries of focusing on small issues," said: "When a girl child reaches the age of consciousness, because of the absence of a toilet in the school, she drops out."

"Women in the villages have to wait for darkness to respond to the call of nature in the open," he said, adding it was "a shameful situation" and he had started a national campaign to "end that shame".

Modi sought votes for the Bharatiya Janata Party so that women of India do not face the shame and indignation they do because of the absence of toilets at homes, schools and work places.