Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again underscored the importance of women’s safety in India, urging for prompt action against crimes targeting women and children. Speaking at the National Conference of District Judiciary on Saturday, the Prime Minister highlighted the urgency of addressing these issues, following several recent incidents that have sparked national outrage.
“Today, atrocities against women, safety of children… are serious concerns of the society,” Modi stated. He emphasized that while the country has enacted strict laws to protect women, there is a pressing need for more effective implementation. “The faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population will get,” he added.
The Prime Minister’s remarks come in the wake of widespread protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital, as well as the sexual abuse of two four-year-old schoolgirls in Badlapur near Mumbai. These incidents have reignited a national debate on the safety of women and children in India.
On Friday, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi responded to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s letter to Prime Minister Modi, demanding stricter punishment for heinous crimes such as rape and rape-murder. The Union Minister pointed out that stringent penalties for such crimes are already stipulated in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which prescribes a minimum of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for rape, extendable to life imprisonment or even the death penalty, depending on the severity of the crime.
Last week, while speaking at the ‘Lakhpati Didi Sammelan’ in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Modi called crimes against women an “unpardonable sin” and insisted that the guilty should not be spared. He reiterated that the safety of women should be a national priority and urged all political parties and state governments to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards such crimes.
“The safety of mothers, sisters, and daughters is the country’s priority. I have repeatedly raised this issue from the Red Fort,” Modi asserted, reaffirming his commitment to addressing the issue of women’s safety in India.
