Govt paying lip service to women, activists say

MUMBAI: Activists claimed on Thursday that the state government seems to be merely paying lip service to women despite a rise in serious crimes against them, including the recent Shakti Mills case.

The activists said that six months after setting up a special cell for crime against women to tackle cases of rape, molestation, dowry and other atrocities, it does not have a full-fledged head; a deputy commissioner of police holds additional charge of this post. The government is also yet to appoint a head to the state women's commission, which handles gender injustice. It has been headless for over four-and-a-half years.

In fact, after the Nirbhaya case in New Delhi, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had promised to fill up the post but seven months have passed.

The panel is an autonomous body and its head is a political appointee. The crucial home department is headed by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), while its partner, the Congress, has to make the appointment.

Last month, the state CID released a report on crime in Maharashtra. The report said the state witnessed a rise in crime against women (rape, molestation and other violent crimes) in 2012.

Chavan iterated on Wednesday that the commission would get a head very soon. "There are certain technical issues which are resulting in a delay," he said.

Flavia Agnes, a noted lawyer who takes up women's issues, said, "Appointments are necessary to send a strong signal in society. But the mere appointment of a commission head or naming of a full-time DCP for the special cell will not solve the problem. The administration must empower and equip its staff and officers who work on the field and handle cases of crime against women."

NCP women's wing head Viday Chavan demanded that the commission chief be appointed without delay. Shiv Sena's Neelam Gorhe suggested that if the government was having a difficultly in finding a suitable candidate, it should

had a problem finding the right candidate, it could choose one from a women's NGO.

Times View: Lack of intent

More thought needs to be applied to these issues if the government is serious in tackling crime against women. A state not having a person to head its women's commission for years on end is not a happy situation. A "special" unit to tackle crime against women with someone holding additional charge also indicates the lack of seriousness of approach.