Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, addressed parliament this week to urge politicians to work together to provide greater legal protection and treatment to women in the wake of various horrific gang rape incidents this past month and in past years.
Poorly handled incidents such as the gang rape and lynching of 12-year-old and 14-year-old girls last month in Uttar Pradesh, and the fatal gang rape of a student in Delhi in December 2012 stirred up outrage. Women’s rights groups and other advocates claim these attacks have reached epidemic levels.
The prime minister calls for action against the “politicizing” of rape. According to The Guardian, he told parliament: “Governments will have to work strictly against this, else our own souls will not forgive us. That is why I appeal to all state ministers, all ministers please stop politicizing rape. Does it suit us to make comments on such incidents, can we not be quiet? We are playing with the dignity of women.”
The statement comes in response to the various insensitive comments from a string of officials surrounding the rape and murder of the two young girls last month. According to The Guardian, a minister from central Chattisgarh state minimized the tragedy, stating that these rape “incidents happen accidentally.” Another minister from Madhya Pradesh state was quoted in The Guardian arguing that rape is “sometimes right, sometimes wrong.” In the region where the rapes occurred, Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister’s father even defended the rapists, asserting that “boys will be boys.”
“Respect for women, their security – it should be the priority for all 1.2 billion people,”Modi asserts, starting the fight back against defenseless abuse against women.
Photo: Arjit Sen DNA
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