TMC MP Sushmit Dev calls for reforms in NCW

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev has called for reforms to ensure that the National Commission for Women (NCW) operates with greater autonomy, credibility and effectiveness. Dev, who is also a member of the panel, wrote to Digvijaya Singh, Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, on Friday. She also shared a copy of her letter on X, alleging that the NCW was "cherry picking" cases in opposition-ruled states. "While I sympathise with activists battling for reform of the NCW, without proper checks, their blatantly partisan actions have made them a rogue authority. Cherry picking incidents of crime against women only in states where the BJP is not in power is a disgrace," Dev, in her letter, said.

Dev said the women's rights body, set up under the NCW Act 1990, is functioning under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which is within the purview of the Standing Committee. "Since its inception, various assessments have been made regarding the functioning and effectiveness of the NCW and over time, it has become evident that there are several challenges in its structure, autonomy, and approach that have hindered its effectiveness in realising the mandates," she said. The lawmaker said there has been a "loss of credibility" of the NCW over the years. "In recent times, NCW has been displaying blatant disregard for its neutral status, and intervenes according to the sheer political convenience of the ruling party. It becomes hyperactive when there are allegations of rape in states where the opposition parties are in power like West Bengal, but forgets to visit Assam where a 7-year old gets raped in Tinsukia," she said. "Shattering its neutrality, the NCW chairpersons name opposition ruled chief ministers, by politically attacking them, but does not visit Manipur for almost four months, where women are paraded naked and raped," she said.

She said the power to take suo motu notice is also being exercised selectively by the NCW to favour parties in power. "When our Olympic champions were fighting on the roads, protesting against a ruling party MP and exposing his sexual misconduct, the NCW does not take suo motu cognisance and meet the wrestlers, instead they tell them to file a complaint with the commission whereas the entire nation was watching our champions being beaten by the police," she said. "Recent incidents of a 13-year-old, gangraped, eight times in Haridwar, a seven-year-old girl gangraped in Tinsukia, Assam, just last month, a doctor... tied to a tree and beaten with rods because he treated the mother of a gangrape victim in Bihar. Several such instances in recent times expose how the NCW has become politically coloured, and its functioning requires immediate attention," she said. She said amending the NCW Act, 1990, should be reconsidered to grant the commission effective powers. Still, at the same time, there needs to be checks and balances to ensure that the powers are not used only to target political opponents of the party in power. "It is fair to say that the NCW is captive to the government for various reasons. Currently, it is financially dependent on the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), which controls budget approvals, staff appointments, and secretariat operations," she said. "To safeguard the rights of women, the NCW should be empowered and made accountable for its activities," she said, urging Singh to consider taking concrete steps to review and reform the commission