KL Report
Jammu
Expressing deep concern and shock over the pathetic graph of crime against women, the CPI (M) State Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami while speaking in Assembly Friday invited attention of the legislators to rise above all political considerations and to ensure safety and security of the women in Jammu and Kashmir. The CPI (M leader said that crime against women should not be taken in isolation and should be deemed as an attack on the basic and fundamental rights of a human being.
Referring to International Women’s Day, being observed today, the CPI (M) leader said over the past year alone acts of violence against women have captured the World’s attention; The attempted killing of a 15 year old women’s rights activist in Pakistan; The brutal gang rape and subsequent death of a student in Delhi; The recent ruling in the Maldives where a teenager was sentenced to 100 lashes, despite being the victim of rape; The execution of a Sri Lankan housemaid working in Saudi Arabia, after being held on death row for six years; the assassination of two directors of the department of women’s Affairs in Laghman province in Afghanistan, for their work on women’s issues.
The CPI (M) leader said, he was terribly upset over the media reports saying that crime against women has been on an alarming rise in the state as 9634 cases of rape, gang rape, molestation, kidnapping, eveteasing, dowry death, abetment to suicide, cruelty by husband, immoral trafficking and abduction of women and girls have been registered since last three years. He said it was further shocking and a matter of concern that highest number of cases of crime has been registered in the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar.
Impressing upon legislature, media and the civil society to rise above all considerations and assert to ensure that women are treated equal and not discriminated at any level, the CPI (M) stressed the need to do away with the discriminatory practices that subordinate women and speak up for the rights of women, within families, community and the State. “On this International Women’s Day let everyone particularly those in positions of power, pledge determination and commitment to work towards the promise to take action, and end violence against women. Let us make a commitment towards protecting the rights of women and to provide them with an enabling and safe environment, which is needed and deserved for women to achieve their full potential,” he remarked.
The CPI (M) State Secretary stressed upon the government to update law on crimes against women in context of Justice Verma’s recommendations recently submitted to the Union Government, following Delhi gang rape incident. “There is a dire need that we review the obsolete clauses in the existing law on the subject and the exercise needs to be initiated without any delay,” Tarigami added.
