RPF praises constable carrying baby as she manages NDLS crowd; activists say 'criminal neglect'

New Delhi: A video posted by the RPF on its social media handle showing a female constable managing crowd at the New Delhi station with her child strapped to her chest has received mixed reactions, with some praising it, while women activists calling it an act of "a criminal neglect" on the part of authorities.

The 17-second video shared on X by the Railway Protection Force on February 17 carried hashtags such as #NariShakti and #HeroesInUniform.

"She serves, she nurtures, she does it all. A mother, a warrior, standing tall'. Constable Reena from 16BN/RPSF performing her duties while carrying her child, representing the countless mothers who balance the call of duty with motherhood every day," read the RPF caption accompanying the post.

With her one-year-old son in the baby carrier, the RPF officer was seen patrolling the New Delhi Railway Station and managing the crowd, days after a stampede killed 18 people.

While many praised the post by the RPF, hundreds of social media users made critical comments, some even requesting the RPF to remove the post.

Many women activists, lawyers and railway unions expressed their anguish on the post which, they said, is celebrating "shameful, inhuman and a criminal act".

"It is a criminal act and the RPF should feel ashamed rather than taking pride in it. It is a violation of the child's as well as the mother's rights. The child, hanging from the mother's belly, faces multiple health risks. It is such a dangerous situation. However, the RPF is celebrating it. It is a shame," Ranjana Kumari, a well-known social activist and the Director of the Centre for Social Research, told PTI.

She added the least the RPF could have done is provide the creche facility. "Also, they are reinforcing the stereotype that it is a mother who has to take care of the child." Akshat Bajpai, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court, told PTI, "The 2017 amendment to the Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 requires any establishment having fifty or more employees to provide a facility of a creche. It is unfortunate that the RPF personnel had to carry her one-year-old child along with her on active duty, particularly in light of the crowded situation on railway platforms currently.

"It is not clear if the RPF provides creche facilities for its personnel but if it doesn't, it must comply with the law," Akshat Bajpai, Advocate-on-Record, Supreme Court, told PTI.

Ashima Sachdeva, a female locopilot and a member of a high-power committee set up by the Chief Labour Commissioner, Delhi, to address the grievances of female train drivers, told PTI, "The high-decibel noise near the platforms can be harmful, particularly for children. The loud sounds can lead to hearing damage, especially with prolonged exposure. Additionally, the rush and chaos that often occur when people hurry to board or disembark can create safety hazards for children."

Rina Singh, another female loco pilot from the Kota rail division, said, "High tension wires are concerning. At public places, it's not possible to maintain the hygiene which is needed for children up to five years. It can increase chances of viral and bacterial infection in a child." Railway unions also severely criticised the post demanding office work rather than field deployment for the woman constable.

"Though RPF is not part of any railway union, on humanitarian grounds I can say that it shows how insensitive the Railway is as an employer. Despite all constraints, the minimum it can do is to shift her to some office work rather than let her be in a dangerous environment," Akhilesh Pandey, Central President, North Eastern Railway Men's Congress, told PTI.