New Delhi, Oct 24: Dragging Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee into a controversy, a group of women NGOs have pleaded with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to initiate action against him and some others for allegedly parading a rape victim at a public meeting addressed by him in Bhopal recently. Taking strong exception to "indecent exposition", the NGOs wanted the commission to initiate proceedings against Vajpayee, Uma Bharati and others for "violating established norms of human dignity and decency". The representation to NHRC was made by the organisations which included All India Women's Conference and Centre for Women's Development Studies. The NHRC sources confirmed that the representations were received and were "being examined".

Citing the public meeting organised by BJP women's wing on October 19, the representation said that in the midst of the function a lady by name of Jamuni Bai from the village Chhudawalia in Rajgarh district was brought on stage and presented to the vast gathering as a victim of rape and oppression.
"To our mind this exhibition and presentation of a mahila to gain political mileage and some votes is not merely outrageous but is one of the gravest and most brazen forms of human rights violation putting the entire community of people and especially our respect for womanhood in abject shame," one of the NGOs said.
Bureau Report