The Hindu – NCW seeks action taken report on Punjab rape cases

Kavita Kishore

Puducherry, 15 December 2012.  Taking cognisance of the increasing number of rapes in Punjab, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the authorities there for an action taken report on all cases filed so far. The NCW will send a team to that State to discuss the issue with government officials and come up with solutions, NCW Chairperson Mamta Sharma told The Hindu, on the sidelines of a conference at Pondicherry University on Friday.

As women lacked awareness of their rights, the NCW would release in January a booklet, which would have information on women’s rights, the various laws to protect them, self-defence and schemes meant to protect their rights, Ms. Sharma said. The booklet would be released in Hindi, English, Tamil, Urdu, Marathi and Punjabi.

The NCW had also conducted the Mahila Adhikar Abhiyan campaign in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Kerala to educate rural women on their rights.

Many States, Ms. Sharma pointed out, did not realise the importance of forming a State commission. To make out its case, the NCW had written to the Chief Ministers of States that did not have a women’s commission. It would work out a sensitisation programme for police, since they played a vital role in the protection of women’s rights.

She said the number of women affected by domestic violence was increasing, and dowry remained the main cause.

There were complaints of women misusing Section 498 (A) of the Indian Penal Code (meant to prevent dowry harassment), but their numbers were negligible.

Now, the NCW was focussing on sensitising tribal women to their rights. The two-day conference on ‘Empowerment of Women in the Era of Globalisation: Challenges and Opportunities’ was organised by the Centre for Women’s Studies, which forms part of the School of Social Sciences and International Studies.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/ncw-seeks-action-taken-report-on-punjab-rape-cases/article4200948.ece

The Tribune – Law to nail fraud NRI grooms soon; Sukhbir orders census of deserted brides; Punjab Police to have all-women commando unit

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 30. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the state government would come out with a strict law within two months to ensure Punjabi girls were not duped by NRI bridegrooms.

Speaking at a seminar on “Overseas marriages” organised jointly by the Punjab Police and the National Commission for Women, Sukhbir said, “The law will check “holiday marriages” and marital frauds by NRIs. Punjab will not tolerate any fraud being committed with its daughters.”

Sukhbir said the law would stipulate complete verification of NRIs seeking to marry a Punjabi girl, compulsory registration of such marriages and getting details of NRI grooms from Indian consulates abroad.

The Doaba region of Punjab has witnessed maximum frauds NRI marriages.

About deserted brides, he said, “I have directed the police to conduct a census of such deserted wives who will be provided legal assistance. We will take help of the External Affairs Ministry to track the guilty grooms.”

Calling for pressurising NRIs who had deserted their wives in Punjab, Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the photographs of offenders should be put on a website so that such grooms and their families could not defraud more people.

The Deputy Chief Minister also announced that the government would recruit 2,000 women police inspectors and a few DSPs over the next six months. “We are in the process of raising an elite all-women based commando unit as part of the Special Services Group. They are going to be trained by Israeli sharp-shooters and would also be handling VVIP security,” he said.

Sukhbir also formally inaugurated a website (www.crimeagainstwomen.co.in) and a helpline 0181-2221645 for women in distress. Hitting out at Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh, Sukhbir Badal said the allegation of vendetta was a “desperate attempt by him to seek another extension” for his captaincy of the party after the MC polls.

Former Union Minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Punjabi singer Shamina Shafique and Shiromani Akali Dal vice-president Hans Raj Hans also suggested remedial measures to check the malpractice.

Jalandhar Zone IG Gurpreet Deo, incharge of Punjab Police’s NRI wing, said 122 complaints had been received from deserted brides in 2011 and 59 cases had been registered so far this year.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120531/punjab.htm#1