President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday expressed her dismay and horror over the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata, urging the country to “wake up” to the “perversion” of crimes against women.
“We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear,” the President told news agency PTI. “Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object..,” she added.
The President stated that no civilized society can tolerate daughters and sisters being subjected to such atrocities. She noted that the nation is understandably outraged, as is she.
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The article submitted by the President to PTI, titled “Women’s Safety: Enough is Enough,” was released amid nationwide protests over the incident that took place in Kolkata’ s RG Kar Medical college and hospital.
“Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls,” Murmu said.
She added that she was asked innocently whether there could be any assurance that incidents like the Nirbhaya case would not happen again in the future.
The President observed that, following the nation’s outrage, plans and strategies were developed, leading to some progress. Nevertheless, in the 12 years since, there have been many similar tragedies, though only a few have attracted nationwide attention, Murmu said.
“Did we learn our lessons? As social protests petered out, these incidents got buried into a deep and inaccessible recess of social memory, to be recalled only when another heinous crime takes place,” she said.
The President addressed the issue of women’s rights in the country, noting that women have had to fight for every bit of progress they have achieved. Social prejudices, along with certain customs and practices, have consistently resisted the expansion of women’s rights, Murmu added.
“This is a rather deplorable mindset… This mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent,” she wrote.
The President attributed crimes against women to the objectification perpetuated by some individuals, stressing that this mindset is deeply ingrained in their thinking. She emphasised that addressing this issue is a responsibility for both the state and society.
On Tuesday, a rally organised by the newly formed student group Chhatra Samaj, which sought justice for the junior doctor raped and killed earlier this month, resulted in significant clashes between protesters and police in Kolkata and Howrah.
West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose condemned the government’s handling of the situation, stating “What we saw on the streets of Kolkata is the worst that one can expect from a democratically elected government.”
(With PTI Inputs)