SOCIETY

Crime against women in Rajasthan up

     Jaipur: If a recent report by National Crime Record Bureau is to be believed, there is a rise in the number of cases related to atrocities against women in Rajasthan, which stands at sixth position in the list of crime against women around the country. The report surprises many individuals due to the fact that women candidates are holding the three most powerful positions in the State of Rajasthan as the Governor, Chief Minister and State Assembly Speaker. Interestingly, the Chairperson of National Commission for Women also hails from Rajasthan. Most of the women activists believe that such negative trends against women of the State is mainly due to opening of a large number of liquor shops across the State. Another factor, they say, is the caste-based Panchayats (or, village councils) in interior villages where the elderly men decide the fate of women. According to Pawan Surana, the former Chairperson of Rajasthan Women Commission, the situation of women in Rajasthan is worsening. Cases of atrocities on women are increasing day by day. "The parents need to take interest in teaching their kids about how to behave with girls or women. It is because parents don't take out time for such talks that there is barely any improvement. To prevent any atrocity on them, the women should become independents and learn defensive techniques through sports like martial arts for any crisis," said Pawan Surana, former Chairperson, Rajasthan Women Commission. According to the National Crime Record Bureau, the cases of rape, dowry death, domestic violence and witch-hunting are increasing day-by-day. "Women atrocities are increasing in Rajasthan because of the lacklustre attitude of the administration. Rajasthan has a history of Kings-rule, many people believe and a lot of people have not moved ahead of that old mindset and thus treat women as second rate humans," said Ajay Jain, advocate, People's Union for Civil Liberties. Experts feel that the latest report suggests that day-by-day, law and order situation in Rajasthan is deteriorating and requires proper measures.

     Meanwhile, the main opposition party, Congress, in the Rajasthan State Assembly, has found a good scoring point to criticise the present Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. The former has criticised the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, for ignoring the concerns of women in the State. "Chief Minister of Rajasthan does not like to stay in Rajasthan. The Chief Minister of Rajasthan is the person who should be blamed for the increase atrocities over women in the State. There is no law and order situation in Rajasthan as the Home Minister himself has said it," said Raghu Sharma, Spokesman of Congress Party. However, the National Crime Records Bureau's statistic indicate, the highest number of cases of atrocities on women have been found in Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, a new legislation that seeks to protect a woman from her relatives - related to her by blood, marriage or adoption and with whom she is living - from acts of domestic violence has been enacted in the country. The new bill titled ``Protection from Domestic Violence Bill 2001'' bans harassment by way of dowry demands and gives sweeping powers to a magistrate to issue protection orders where needed. Punishment could range from a jail term of up to one year and/or a fine of up to rupees 20,000. Domestic violence, under the new law, includes "actual abuse or the threat of abuse whether physical, sexual, emotional or economic. The law provides protection to the wife or live-in partner from violence at the hands of the husband or live-in partner or his relatives. Besides physical violence, the law also covers forcing a wife or partner to look at pornography.
-Dec 3, 2006

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