Crime rose since AAP govt came to power, says Cong

Congress on Monday tried to corner the AAP government over the frequent rapes of minor girls in the city. The AAP government lacks political will to check crimes against women, it said.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee condemned the brutal rape of a four-year-old girl in Delhi. “It was a beastly act and ever since the Aam Aadmi Party government came to power in Delhi, crimes against women have been on the rise,” said Congress.

The DPCC has asked the AAP government to take effective action to ensure the safety of women.

Delhi Congress chief spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee said that the sexual assault on a four-year-old girl “was an inhuman crime which even beasts would not commit”.

She said such crimes were not merely a law and order problem concerning police, but a societal problem.

“The AAP government has unfortunately not taken any steps to prevent crimes against women. Gender sensitisation was an essential step to prevent such crimes.”

She added that though the Delhi Women’s Commission has issued guidelines for the safety of women, “there was nothing new which could give a new perspective to women’s protection”.

Mukherjee said that the Delhi government has not only failed to check crimes against women, but has even stopped some of the initiatives taken by the previous Congress government in Delhi for the protection of women.

“Awaaz Uthao Programme, which was started by the Congress government to involve the civil society to stop crimes against women, has been put on hold while the helpline for women has been lying non-functional as the salaries of the staff have not been paid.”