New Delhi: The Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna-led Uttarakhand Government’s bizarre decision to prohibit women from going out after 6 pm in order to order to stop crimes has invited criticism both from the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Reacting to the state government`s decision here on Saturday, Union Waters Resources Minister and Congress leader from Uttarakhand Harish Rawat said: “Issuing such guidelines that when should they (women) go out and till what time they should work is not a fair step. It is not going to work.”
“I think stricter laws should be made and enforcement agencies should be held accountable to ensure swift and harsh punishment for the culprits. We will have to change the mentality. We will have to come up with a broader social campaign to change the mentality of society to stop such crimes,” added Rawat.
Former chief minister of Uttarakhand and BJP leader Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said the Congress is not capable of running a government.
“It shows that the state government is incapable of providing security to women. Tomorrow, the government will stop them from going out of their homes. Instead of passing such laws, criminals should be scared of committing crimes. The government is prohibiting women,” claimed Koshiyari.
“If the authorities work properly, such incidents don’t take place. We will have to spread awareness and teach ethics and values to young people. People in authority should also be alert and work properly,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has denied issuing such guidelines that restrict women from going out, and said: “It is the responsibility of the management of the organisation where they work, to take care of the women employees and they should drop them at door steps if they get late.”
“There is no restriction on women and children, but the organisation they are working at should drop them at their doorsteps if they get late while coming home. We will provide every possible security, but it is not our responsibility to drop them home,” said Bahuguna.
However, the state government is being severely criticised for this regressive approach prohibits women from working beyond 6 pm in private and government jobs.
The step is being seen as too extreme to curb crimes against women in the wake of the gang rape and subsequent death of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi late last month.
The reports have prompted several state governments and the central government to fine-tune the laws of the country regarding rape and other sexual crimes against women.
ANI
