Modi's speeches vs reality: Kharge slams govt over issue of women's safety

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday, 29 August hit out at the Centre over women's safety, saying prime minister Narendra Modi has talked about the issue many times in his speeches from the Red Fort but his government has not done anything concrete that could prevent crimes against women.

Kharge asserted that crimes against women are a serious issue and preventing these crimes is a big challenge for the country.

"We all have to unite and find solutions to this by taking along every section of the society," the Congress chief said in a post in Hindi on X.

His remarks come amid uproar against the backdrop of the nationwide outcry over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and also cases of rape of girls in other parts of the country.

"Any injustice done to our women is intolerable, painful and highly condemnable. We need to 'ensure equal rights to daughters', not 'Beti Bachao'," Kharge said.

"Women need safety, not protection. Every hour 43 crimes against women are recorded in the country. Everyday 22 crimes are registered against women and children of the most vulnerable Dalit-tribal class of our country. There are countless crimes that are not even registered - out of fear, intimidation, social reasons," the Congress chief said.

PM Modi has talked about women's safety many times in his speeches at the Red Fort, but his government has not done anything concrete in the last 10 years that could prevent crimes against women, he alleged.

"On the contrary, his party has also assassinated the character of the victim many times, which is shameful," Kharge claimed.

Will painting "Beti Bachao" on every wall bring about social change or make governments' law and order competent, Kharge asked.

"Are we able to take preventive measures? Has our criminal justice system improved? Are the exploited and deprived sections of society now able to live in a safe environment?" he said.

Has the government and administration not tried to hide a crime, he asked.

Has the police stopped forcibly cremating the victims so that the truth does not come out, the Congress chief further asked.

"We have to think that when the Nirbhaya incident happened in Delhi in 2012, the recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee were implemented, are we able to fully implement those recommendations today?" Kharge said.

Are the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act passed in 2013 being followed properly so that a fear-free environment can be created for our women at the workplace, Kharge said.

He stressed that the Constitution has given equal status to women.

"Be it gender sensitisation curriculum or gender budgeting, women call centres or basic facilities like street lights and women washrooms in our cities, or our police reforms or judicial reforms - now the time has come for us to take every step that can ensure a fear-free environment for women," Kharge said.