Jaipur: The recent Bhilwara gangrape incident where a woman was stripped naked and left on the road has once again brought Rajasthan's law and order situation under the scanner. The police however claimed that they acted fast and arrested the accused. But, the Opposition hit out at the Congress-led government's failure to stop crimes against women.
The state has been registering repeated incidents of crime against women in the last few months. In Pratapgarh, a pregnant woman was stripped naked and paraded in front of the villagers by her husband and in Bekaria area of Udaipur, a widow was stripped and brutally beaten up. Although the accused were nabbed in all cases, the truth is that such incidents continue unabated.
In the latest case from Bhilwara's Gangapur police station area, the 25-year-old woman was forced to run without clothes on the road for help after being gang-raped. Earlier it was said that the accused had kidnapped the woman from outside her house but later it was revealed that one of the accused, who committed the crime was acquainted to the woman. He along with his accomplice gang-raped her, police said.
In the same month, another shameful incident of a husband stripping his pregnant wife came to light from Pratapgarh. Following a family dispute, the husband and in-laws stripped a pregnant woman and paraded her in front of the villagers. Also, they made a video of the act. After the video went viral, the police identified the woman and registered a case. Eleven people, including the husband were arrested while four minors were detained. The State Human Rights Commission, State Women's Commission and National Women's Commission also took cognizance of the incident.
In July, a widow was stripped and brutally beaten by her relatives in a village under Bekaria police station area of Udaipur. No complaint was registered against the family but after the video of the incident went viral, police registered a case and arrested the accused.
Prior to which, in the Kotri area of Bhilwara district, a case of gang-rape and murder of a minor was registered. The minor's charred body was found in a coal furnace. Police arrested six men and three women in this connection while another boy and two teenage girls were detained.
Similarly, in April, a woman was burnt her alive by her neighbour who poured kerosene on her in Balotra in Barmer. The woman succumbed to her injuries during treatment. In Jayanarayan Vyas University in Jodhpur, political debate arose in a case of gang-rape of a minor by holding her lover hostage.
"The police are working like Congress workers. The incident of gang-rape came to light when Priyanka Gandhi's meeting was held in Tonk. The police said it is a false case but later arrested the accused. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says that 56 percent rape cases are found to be false. It is because of such statements that incidents are increasing. Priyanka Gandhi raises the slogan of 'I am a girl, I can fight' but she can't even spare two words for the girls and women who are victims of atrocities in Rajasthan. This is condemnable and shameful," Alka Gurjar, BJP national secretary said.
Former deputy chief minister and Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that action is taken whenever any incident occurs. "The accused is arrested as soon as possible. If any minor is wronged then action is taken by registering a case under the POCSO Act. Incidents can happen anywhere but we have always taken immediate action and try to curb these. We have to see what is happening in other states. The crime graph is high in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. But, when the elections are near, such issues are taken up. None of the BJP leaders were seen on the roads in the last five years and now they are misleading the public," Pilot said.
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Social worker Manisha Singh said that stern punishment is needed to instill fear so that criminals think twice before committing any crime. "With cases of assault against women coming to light every day, women of the state feel unsafe. The government says that the criminals are being arrested but there should be provision for the strictest punishment so that criminals are frightened. Such incidents tarnish the image of the state. This should never be a political issue. Rather, there is a need to take steps against the criminals along with providing security to women," Singh said.
