Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee. India

GANDHINAGAR: In a representation to Gujarat governor Dr Kamala, a activists' delegation, led by Ahmedabad Women's Action Group (AWAG) director Ila Pathak, expressed serious concern over the state administration's apathy towards rising cases of atrocities against women, especially rape, in Gujarat.

"It is unfortunate that senior state officials do not ensure follow-up action against the accused and their accomplices after they are put on trial," Pathak told TOI on coming out of the Raj Bhawan.

The delegation, which consisted of Gujarat Mahila Federation's Jayshree Joshi and Stri Hinsa Nivaran Manch's Mira Mehta, said in the last two months alone seven cases of rape were registered in Gujarat. "In some cases, like Chandni rape case, murder at Datar in Girnar hills, and rape of a student girl in Patan by six primary teachers' college lecturers, people are caught only after popular outcry. Though cases start in fast-track courts, none cares to focus on those who protected the criminals thus far."

To mark the representation to the governor, all women's voluntary organisations of Gujarat came together on Saturday to hold protest dharnas against rising crime against women in different towns, Pathak said, though regretting, Self-Employed Women's Association (Sewa) was not part of the programme. "They do not like to protest against the government," she said. "It has often been found that the police do not register cases of atrocities against women. Every day, 15 cases take place involving domestic violence. There is no reason why one shouldn't take FIR under IPC 498-A," she added.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Activists-give-represe...