Women’s safety most emotive issue, may prove decisive
31 Jan 2015 6:25 AM IST
With two major incidents of gruesome rape taking place in Delhi — December 16, 2012 Nirbhaya incident and the recent Uber rape case, respectively — this issue has taken centre-stage in the warm-up to the crucial contest ahead.
These two cases were widely reported and made international headlines. But what is worrying is the fact that cases of harassment, molestation and rape have only risen in the national Capital. In 2014, (till December 15) 2,069 cases of rape were reported, which is a rise from the number of cases reported in 2013 which were 1,571. Meanwhile, there have been 4,179 cases of molestation of women reported during 2014 (till December 15) which too sharply rose from 3,345 cases reported in 2013. The cases of snatching shot up with 6,944 cases being registered in 2014 whereas in 2013 there were 3,316 cases which were reported.
This data simply indicates the large number of cases of crime against women in the city, which makes them feel unsafe and vulnerable as well. A key issue like this will have a strong impact on the voter’s mind before they cast their franchise.
Delhi still witnesses many cases of sexual harassment, molestation and rape every day. With several cases of crime against women being reported in the city, now, people are insisting on concrete measures to be taken up by the political and administrative establishment in order to ensure safety and security of the fairer sex.
28-year-old Neeta Malhotra, resident of Safdarjung Enclave, travels to Gurgaon for work every day. After the Uber case, for her the idea of taking a taxi back home is a horrifying one.
She said: “For me, one of the most shocking cases after the December 16 gang-rape was the Uber rape case. I work in Gurgaon and sometimes I used to take a cab back home. It is really scary for a woman who works for late hours to now be travelling home alone in a cab. It is a very unnerving. I hope the new government in Delhi takes up this issue very seriously.”
Saba Ali, who resides in Delhi Cantt. Area, explained her harrowing experience while travelling in the Delhi Metro, adding: “I travel in the metro daily and have many times faced uncomfortable situations. After 9 pm, I feel quite unsafe to travel in the metro. Even though I travel in the ladies compartment, the experience at the platform gets awkward because of unnecessary pushing and shoving that the men folk indulge in and even eve-teasing. I hope that the new government can bring about stronger laws, especially to protect women in public places.
“I hope Delhi becomes a woman-friendly city soon,” Ritesh Sharma, a government servant who resides in Mayur Vihar said, noting that the problem lies in the psyche of men. He explained: “I have a young daughter who is in school and my wife is a working professional. I am deeply concerned when they move out of the house because of how unsafe Delhi is for women. I feel that the main problem lies with the attitude men have towards women here. The new government in Delhi should do a lot towards changing those deeply ingrained mindsets.”
As Delhi gears up to exercise their franchise, the quotient of women’s safety will be absolutely imperative and crucial for all the major parties contesting this election in the days to come.
Parties’ take: AAP, BJP, CONG list measures to address women’s security
Suraksha button, toilets & strict laws: AAP
Keeping women’s safety and security on top of their priority list, the AAP announced its 10-point agenda for safety, security, empowerment and dignity of the fairer sex in Delhi. AAP said their agenda will be implemented after the government is formed. The party also plans to install CCTV cameras in DTC buses, bus stands and in crowded places to intimidate attackers and deter crime on public transport as well.
The party will also ensure that women feel safe and happy in public transports and will use the entire fiscal, financial and administrative might to ensure that women’s security is on urgent and priority basis.
“Zero tolerance and strict law enforcement is our top priority. Suraksha Button on every mobile phone with emergency connectivity with Delhi Police via wi-fi will be given a lot of importance. Introduction of bus marshals, zero tolerance against molestation, eve-teasing and violence against women will be top on our chart. Last-mile connectivity by expanding gramin sewa services, shared auto-rickshaw services and e-rickshaw services through fixed routes will be implemented. Two lakh toilets for women with 50,000 toilets in public places will be set up,” said Manish Sisodia , senior AAP leader.
Bedi’s 5S and 6P for women’s security policy
BJP’s women’s security policy and consequently the strategies will now have an imprint of Chief Ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi. The party leaders had earlier proposed security guards in buses, bus stops, and important hangouts besides CCTV cameras, strengthening of the police system, judiciary but now Bedi has amalgamated all these diverse views in her 5S and 6P strategy. “Once elected as Chief Minister, you will have in me, a sister, a mother, a daughter and a friend,” said Bedi in her public meetings.
Spelling the strategy of 5P and 6S, she added that women’s security is a complex issue and it needs multi-pronged approach to deal with. The 5S are Saakshar (skill), Swasth (health), Sakshum (capable), Surakshit (secure) and Sanskari (ethical) while six Ps stand for people (parents+principals), politicians, police, prosecution, prisons, press with government as hub. She also promised to strengthen the helpline and take entire responsibility of women’s security on her shoulders.
“Women should be trained to be strong enough to fight culprits and also for their rights in society. We have to make our girls brave and strong. Besides, we also need to inculcate values in our boys to behave,” she added.
CCTV cameras, special cells tops chart: cong
The Congress has promised to focus on women’s security like never before. Congress’ Election Campaign Committee chief and party’s candidate Ajay Maken said the manifesto answers not just ‘what’ but also ‘how’. “Better policing set up and installation of CCTV cameras in public transport to ensure the safety and security of women. Besides this, special training of police force with respect to crimes against women.” Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who was in office for 15 years, said that women’s security has always been important for the Congress. “The Congress has never undermined the importance of women voters,” said Dikshit. She further said that women in the national Capital have become much more aware socially and politically which is a good sign.
“Our government started 24x7 special cell for ‘Women in Distress’ 181 after the Nirbhaya gang-rape in December 2012,” she said. The party manifesto also involves stringent punishment for crime against women. A mechanism of obtaining the co-operation of the police has also been evolved. There will also be a special training of police force with respect to crimes against women. Another priority is setting up of more working women’s hostels.
These two cases were widely reported and made international headlines. But what is worrying is the fact that cases of harassment, molestation and rape have only risen in the national Capital. In 2014, (till December 15) 2,069 cases of rape were reported, which is a rise from the number of cases reported in 2013 which were 1,571. Meanwhile, there have been 4,179 cases of molestation of women reported during 2014 (till December 15) which too sharply rose from 3,345 cases reported in 2013. The cases of snatching shot up with 6,944 cases being registered in 2014 whereas in 2013 there were 3,316 cases which were reported.
This data simply indicates the large number of cases of crime against women in the city, which makes them feel unsafe and vulnerable as well. A key issue like this will have a strong impact on the voter’s mind before they cast their franchise.
Delhi still witnesses many cases of sexual harassment, molestation and rape every day. With several cases of crime against women being reported in the city, now, people are insisting on concrete measures to be taken up by the political and administrative establishment in order to ensure safety and security of the fairer sex.
28-year-old Neeta Malhotra, resident of Safdarjung Enclave, travels to Gurgaon for work every day. After the Uber case, for her the idea of taking a taxi back home is a horrifying one.
She said: “For me, one of the most shocking cases after the December 16 gang-rape was the Uber rape case. I work in Gurgaon and sometimes I used to take a cab back home. It is really scary for a woman who works for late hours to now be travelling home alone in a cab. It is a very unnerving. I hope the new government in Delhi takes up this issue very seriously.”
Saba Ali, who resides in Delhi Cantt. Area, explained her harrowing experience while travelling in the Delhi Metro, adding: “I travel in the metro daily and have many times faced uncomfortable situations. After 9 pm, I feel quite unsafe to travel in the metro. Even though I travel in the ladies compartment, the experience at the platform gets awkward because of unnecessary pushing and shoving that the men folk indulge in and even eve-teasing. I hope that the new government can bring about stronger laws, especially to protect women in public places.
“I hope Delhi becomes a woman-friendly city soon,” Ritesh Sharma, a government servant who resides in Mayur Vihar said, noting that the problem lies in the psyche of men. He explained: “I have a young daughter who is in school and my wife is a working professional. I am deeply concerned when they move out of the house because of how unsafe Delhi is for women. I feel that the main problem lies with the attitude men have towards women here. The new government in Delhi should do a lot towards changing those deeply ingrained mindsets.”
As Delhi gears up to exercise their franchise, the quotient of women’s safety will be absolutely imperative and crucial for all the major parties contesting this election in the days to come.
Parties’ take: AAP, BJP, CONG list measures to address women’s security
Suraksha button, toilets & strict laws: AAP
Keeping women’s safety and security on top of their priority list, the AAP announced its 10-point agenda for safety, security, empowerment and dignity of the fairer sex in Delhi. AAP said their agenda will be implemented after the government is formed. The party also plans to install CCTV cameras in DTC buses, bus stands and in crowded places to intimidate attackers and deter crime on public transport as well.
The party will also ensure that women feel safe and happy in public transports and will use the entire fiscal, financial and administrative might to ensure that women’s security is on urgent and priority basis.
“Zero tolerance and strict law enforcement is our top priority. Suraksha Button on every mobile phone with emergency connectivity with Delhi Police via wi-fi will be given a lot of importance. Introduction of bus marshals, zero tolerance against molestation, eve-teasing and violence against women will be top on our chart. Last-mile connectivity by expanding gramin sewa services, shared auto-rickshaw services and e-rickshaw services through fixed routes will be implemented. Two lakh toilets for women with 50,000 toilets in public places will be set up,” said Manish Sisodia , senior AAP leader.
Bedi’s 5S and 6P for women’s security policy
BJP’s women’s security policy and consequently the strategies will now have an imprint of Chief Ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi. The party leaders had earlier proposed security guards in buses, bus stops, and important hangouts besides CCTV cameras, strengthening of the police system, judiciary but now Bedi has amalgamated all these diverse views in her 5S and 6P strategy. “Once elected as Chief Minister, you will have in me, a sister, a mother, a daughter and a friend,” said Bedi in her public meetings.
Spelling the strategy of 5P and 6S, she added that women’s security is a complex issue and it needs multi-pronged approach to deal with. The 5S are Saakshar (skill), Swasth (health), Sakshum (capable), Surakshit (secure) and Sanskari (ethical) while six Ps stand for people (parents+principals), politicians, police, prosecution, prisons, press with government as hub. She also promised to strengthen the helpline and take entire responsibility of women’s security on her shoulders.
“Women should be trained to be strong enough to fight culprits and also for their rights in society. We have to make our girls brave and strong. Besides, we also need to inculcate values in our boys to behave,” she added.
CCTV cameras, special cells tops chart: cong
The Congress has promised to focus on women’s security like never before. Congress’ Election Campaign Committee chief and party’s candidate Ajay Maken said the manifesto answers not just ‘what’ but also ‘how’. “Better policing set up and installation of CCTV cameras in public transport to ensure the safety and security of women. Besides this, special training of police force with respect to crimes against women.” Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who was in office for 15 years, said that women’s security has always been important for the Congress. “The Congress has never undermined the importance of women voters,” said Dikshit. She further said that women in the national Capital have become much more aware socially and politically which is a good sign.
“Our government started 24x7 special cell for ‘Women in Distress’ 181 after the Nirbhaya gang-rape in December 2012,” she said. The party manifesto also involves stringent punishment for crime against women. A mechanism of obtaining the co-operation of the police has also been evolved. There will also be a special training of police force with respect to crimes against women. Another priority is setting up of more working women’s hostels.
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