Assam Cong demands white paper on crime against women in last 10 years

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 24, 2024

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has called on the state government to release a white paper on the issue of crimes against women in Assam. This demand comes in response to a statement by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in which he revealed that over 22 cases of rapes and crimes against women have been registered in the state within just a few months.

Addressing a press meet at Rajiv Bhawan here, APCC vice-president Bobbeeta Sharma said: “We demand that a white paper be presented with a comprehensive report on crime against women in Assam and steps taken to avert such crimes in the last 10 years. This demand should not taken as a demand from a political party platform only but as that of every mother, every sister and every daughter of Assam who wants to live a safe and secure life in Assam.”

“We strongly condemn the heinous act of crime against the little girl in Dhing and we demand the strongest action against the perpetrators of the crime. It is also a matter of deeper concern that the Chief Minister himself had confessed that women in Assam are not safe by listing out names of such cases that occurred in the last two months! He read out the list in social media is amounting to taking responsibility that women in Assam are not safe under BJP’s rule,” Sharma said.

“Is it not then a confession from the highest authority of the fact that there is failure of law and order about women’s safety in Assam? Is it not then a confession that police and administration have failed in protecting women of our state,” Sharma questioned.

Sharma also said these are just the registered cases and there are many more such unregistered cases. Hence in the last 8- 9 years of BJP’s rule in Assam numerous women have been subjected to rape, murder and molestation in various districts. It is also a matter of indignation that in many cases even when arrests are being made the culprits manage to go scot-free,” Sharma also said.

“Crime against women is closely linked to a safe environment – the provision of street lights, the provision of CCTV in strategic points, the availability of women safety apps and helpline numbers.  Has the government been able to provide these requirements for women’s safety,” she questioned.

“In Guwahati itself, we have seen in the name of Smart City project crores of rupees were sanctioned for installing CCTV in and around the city.  What happened to the CCTVs? Have they been installed?  We saw that President Draupadi Murmu had inaugurated a women’s safety app in April 2023 named Boroxa. Did the government take steps to popularize it? Are the women even aware of it? Is it still working or not? What about other women’s safety apps announced time and again whenever such incidents take place but nothing is done after a few months,” she said.

The Congress leader also questioned the role of the State Women Commission of Assam which has always remained a mute spectator whenever such crimes take place. “Are we aware of who is the chairperson of the Women’s Commission? Who are its members? Whenever there is any such crime against women we do not see any activity of the Women Commission which is existing with tax papers money,” she also said.

APCC Social Media chairman Ratul Kalita also criticized the state government for its failures in maintaining law and order concerning women’s safety.

“From 2016 to February 28, 2023, a total of 12,726 cases of rape were registered in the state. An average of 1,818 cases are registered per year or 5 cases of rape registered per day! Of these, 452 cases have been registered in Guwahati city alone,” Kalita said

Kalita also said a total of 1,70,174 cases of crime against women have been registered in the state. Of these, 39,075 cases of kidnapping of women, 8,358 cases of murder, 1,03,296 cases of theft, 1,158 cases of dacoity, 9,578 cases of loot, and 18,764 cases of suicide were registered.

3,468 cases of crimes against women have been registered in the two months of January and February 2022 alone. 8,700 cases of crimes against women have been registered in Guwahati city alone. 3,153 cases of kidnapping, 519 murder cases, 26,742 cases of theft, 53 robbery cases, 3,366 cases of loot and 2,527 cases of self-immolation have been registered, Kalita further said.

“The national rate of crime against women in 2021 was 64.5 per 1 lakh population. Assam had the highest rate of crime against women topping at  168.3 incidents of crime per 100,000 population in Assam. Delhi was second with a rate of 147.6 and Odisha third with a rate of 137.8,” he said.

“In Assam, the rate of crime was 143.6 in 2017, 166 in 2018, 177 in 2019, 168.3 in 2021, 154.3 in 2022. Thus there is a gradual increase in crime against women during BJP rule,” he added.

APCC spokesperson Barnali Phukan said the growing numbers show the true face of incompetent government in the state. BJP demanded resignation for Kolkata rape-murder, will BJP now demand the resignation of the Chief Minister?

Commenting on the Chief Minister’s remark on the Dhing Incident, Phukan said the Chief Minister shouldn’t try to give the religious political colour.