‘Black chapter for women in Delhi over’

Joyous and relieved over the Delhi high court clearing two months’ salary of the contractual staff of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), the Chief of the Commission on Thursday also provided her reaction to the sudden resignation of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung. In mentioning that the LG had failed to be accountable towards safety of women, Maliwal said:  “His sudden resignation proves all have to be accountable for women safety in the Capital. If you ignore the attacks on women, you will have to step down.”

The DCW Chief also tried to connect the resignation of LG Jung to the huge blow that was meted out to the him by the Delhi high court as the court, on Wednesday, had sent a notice to the LG asking that why for a year there was no meeting convened by him over women security. On Thursday too, the Delhi’s administrative head had to face a major disappointment after his plea was turned down by the court ordering the release of salaries of the contractual workers of DCW.

“Black chapter for women in Delhi is over. There are six rapes that occur in Delhi daily yet Najeeb Jung being the head of Delhi did not hold a single meeting over women security and instead attacked the autonomy of the DCW,” Maliwal said.

After a charge-sheet was filed against Swati Maliwal by the Anti Corruption Bureau, the women commission chief had came down heavily on Jung stating that the charge-sheet was a move by him to prevent the Commission’s work in demolishing brothel structures in GB Road. 

“It’s not possible that he (Jung) does not know who will be involved in having the business in GB Road. Even after series of steps, no action has been initiated by him,” she claimed.

It was always an unhealthy working relationship between the DCW Chief and the outgoing Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung as the former always accused of Jung of throttling the DCW’s autonomy. The relationship further deteriorated after the appointment of Alka Dewan as a member secretary and later Dilaraj Kaur as the member secretary by the LG. The DCW Chief, showing her unhappiness over this, had disapproved both the member secretaries. Maliwal had mentioned Alka Dewan as an insensitive member secretary. The Delhi CM, too, had intervened in the appointment of Kaur and had rejected citing Constitution laws.

Meanwhile, in putting aside the differences which she had with the former LG, Maliwal wished him well for his future endeavours. She also wished that the next LG will coordinate with the DCW and will lead in the formation of the high-level committee that will not only make key decisions but will also monitor the steps towards security and welfare of women in the city.