BHUBANESWAR:
Cases related to violence against women are on the rise in the State. There are
several cases coming up every day in media, but no exemplary steps have been
taken by the State machinery to end the vicious trend. Except big issues of
violence against women, the Opposition is also maintaining silence over the
issue.
From Anjana gang-rape to Itishree
murder case and Mahanga’s Anjali harassment case, there are thousands of cases
related to atrocities against women, which created a lot of hue and cry in the
State, but what are the end results of these cases? The State Government’s
silence was clearly reflected when leader of the Opposition staged dawn- to-
dusk dharna in the well of Odisha Assembly, demanding only a statement on
Itishree murder case.
It is really surprising that
peoples’ representatives have to struggle so hard to get a statement from the
Chief Minister, who is accountable to the people of the State. Resentment is
brewing among the people of the State after witnessing the deteriorating
condition of law and order in the State which directly affects two vulnerable
groups, children and women in the society.
Question is- when will the State
Government wake up from its deep slumber after experiencing hundreds of heinous
cases of violence against women?
According to the fresh data given
by Women and Child Development Minister in the Assembly, a total of 9,949 women
were sexually assaulted within 10 years. Out of the 704 complaints lodged with
the State Commission for Women (SCW), reports of investigations into 202 cases
are yet to be submitted before the Commission.
Within last two years, people of
the State have seen several cases of violence against women, but how many cases
have been taken seriously by the State-owned police department?
After strong demonstration and
dharna by the social organisations, continuous follow up of media and sharp
criticism from the Opposition party, the State Government expresses its
willingness to take up the cases seriously.
Several sensational cases from
Pipili gang-rape case, Madhabilata’s mysterious death case, rape and murder
cases of Chandanpur girl, Titilagarh woman, Marine drive blind girl, Salia Sahi
minor girl, Mahakalpada minor girl, Kisan Nagar woman, Bhubaneswar disable
girl, Tigiria gang-rape to Itishree harassment and murder, the list is endless.
However, the Government’s lack of seriousness in taking the right steps to
punish the perpetrators and stop the trend is quite discomforting.
On Friday, The Pioneer had given
a front page story headlined ‘Another Itishree who escapes from being burnt’
about a single helpless woman Anjali Pradhan whom her rival group had attempted
to burn alive, but she slightly escaped from being burnt.
On Saturday, a Dalit woman from
Dhamnagar in Bhadrak district alleged that a cop assaulted her sexually in
front of her husband. The cop and chairman of Dhamnagar block were allegedly
involved in the crime. On Sunday, another minor Dalit girl of Danarmund village
under the Marshaghai police limits was battling for her life at the SCB
Medical College
and Hospital at Cuttack after being
gang raped.
Mahanga’s Anjali was allegedly
misbehaved and manhandled by the police of her locality when she went for
justice and Bhadrak’s Dalit girl was raped by the cop in the second case. When
fences devour crop, who will protect the latter?
Another important thing is
involvement of peoples’ representatives of the ruling party in different women
related crimes including Pipili gang-rape case, Madhabilata case and Itishree
murder case. In Itishree case, the Crime Branch is still searching for the
culprit who set her on fire on October 27. In the three high-profile cases, the
National Commission for Women (NCW) criticised the State Government and also
raised questions about the State Crime Branch’s fair probe in these cases. Even
the NCW supported the demands of social organisations and peoples’
representatives to go for CBI probe in these cases, but the State Government
sidelined the demands of people and recommendation of the NCW. Why the State
Government is unwilling for CBI probe in the cases?
If the State Government fails to
take any exemplary steps to stop the violence against women, it is sure to face
wrath of the people which has already been reflected earlier.
Published in English daily The
Pioneer on December 17, 2013