Asha Devi, mother of Nirbhaya, has said that women are still not safe in the country even a decade after her daughter was brutally raped in a moving bus in Delhi. The Nirbhaya case had led to outrage across the country compelling government to introduce stricter law and establish fast-track courts. While she noted that things had improved, Asha Devi lamented that we still have a long way to go before women can be truly safe in our country.
“..I don’t think anything has been done for women’s safety and to bring crimes against women to justice, laws were definitely made but no work has been done. Nirbhaya’s culprits were hanged in 2020 but before and after that so many incidents have happened…who got justice?” asked Asha Devi as she interacted with news agency ANI
“.if you don’t punish the culprits and put them in jail and feed them and take care of their needs, how will the women be safe? Till culprits are not punished, till work doesn’t happen in fast track court and till work doesn’t happen on the laws that have been made, society’s mentality won’t change and women won’t be safe,” she said further.
Kolkata Police Imposes Section 163 Amid Protests Over Doctor’s Rape-Murder At RG Kar Medical College
Her statements have assumed importance especially in light of the recent rape and murder of a 31-year-old post graduate woman resident doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Asha Devi criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s actions following the rape-murder.
“The Health Ministry and the police fall under the Chief Minister’s jurisdiction. I don’t understand whom she is protesting against or from whom she is demanding capital punishment. The law is in her hands; the government can at least ensure the case is properly presented to the lower court,” she said.
“We are still stuck in 2012,” she complained saying that Nirbhaya’s name is invoked every time such an incident occurs but we as a country do not learn anything.
Watch her full reaction in the video below.
#WATCH | On rape and murder of woman resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi says, ” …I don’t think anything has been done for women’s safety and to bring crimes against women to justice, laws were definitely made but no work has been… pic.twitter.com/1MLCFoF3MM
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2024
The rape-murder at RG Kar hospital has not only become a national issue, but protests have also been organised outside India.
