GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded a white paper on crime against women in Assam from the BJP government after the chief minister’s confession that 22/23 cases of rapes and crimes against women have been registered in the state in the past 2 months.
Also Read: Assam: School Teacher Allegedly Rapes Minor In Hojai
Bobbeeta Sarma, vice-president, APCC, in a press statement said, “The question that arises here, therefore, is what has the government done to avert crimes against women in Assam? Crime against women is closely linked to a safe environment - the provision of street lights, the provision of CCTV in strategic points, the availability of women safety apps and helpline numbers. Has the government been able to provide these requirements for women safety? In Guwahati itself we have seen in the name of Smart City project crores of rupees were sanctioned for installing CCTV in and around the city. What happened to the CCTV's? Have they been installed? We saw that Honourable President Smt. Draupadi Murmu had inaugurated a women safety app in April 2023 named Boroxa. Did the Government take steps to popularize it? Are the women of Assam even aware of it? Is it still working or not ? What about other women safety apps announced time and again whenever such incidents take place but nothing is done after a few months? Who will be held accountable?”
According to the state unit, from 2016 to February 28, 2023, a total of 12,726 cases of rape were registered in Assam. That means an average of 1818 cases registered per year or 5 cases of rape registered per day! Of these, 452 cases have been registered in Guwahati city alone. Further, a total of 1,70,174 cases of crime against women have been registered in Assam.
Of these, 39,075 cases of kidnapping of women, 8,358 cases of murder, 1,03,296 cases of theft, 1,158 cases of dacoity, 9,578 cases of loot, and 18,764 cases of suicide were registered.
Assam PCC senior spokesperson Barnali Phukan condemning the growing violence against women said, "In just last one and half months 23 crimes against women have been reported in Assam, these growing numbers show the true face of incompetent government and CM. BJP demanded resignation for Kolkata rape-murder, will BJP now demand the resignation of Assam CM? Phukan spoke on CM’s remark on Dhing incident, that in crime against women cases, CM shouldn’t try to give the religious political colour, in Loksabha BJP came to power again and it’s giving moral courage to criminals because BJP couldn’t even give justice to their own leader Indrani Tehbildar, the rapist of a 13-year-old girl is still roaming free, is it because the rapist is a BJP leader. Phukan asked Assam Police to be more careful, during encounters that no single innocent should be punished in the name of encounter."
