Kirron Kher, Chandigarh mayor face flak for their silence on gangrape case
At a time when law and order in city with women’s security and safety requiring the top leadership’s intervention, silence and even cosmetic statements would not do much to restore people’s confidence
Two days after the alleged gang rape of 21-year-old woman rocked the city, silence of city’s two women at the helm of important offices has been criticised by the opposition.
Member Parliament (MP) Kirron Kher and mayor Asha Kumari Jaswal haven’t spoken over the issue.
When HT contacted Kirron Kher on Monday, she said, “These are obvious incidents to be condemned as it is deeply painful. But, I believe, our police is very effective and will crack the case soon.”
However, despite repeated attempts, mayor Asha Kumari Jaswal could not be contacted for comment.
The issue of women’s safety and security also has been missing at the MC House meetings. The councillors never take up the issue of law and order or any crime against women, when there are 12 women councillors out of a total 35.
A 21-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped and dumped in an isolated place in Sector 53 here. The victim was returning home in an auto-rickshaw from Sector 37 on Friday evening when the driver and two other men committed the heinous crime.
‘Didn’t even condemn the issue’
Former city MP, Pawan Kumar Bansal, had demanded appropriate measures to restore the lost faith of women and public in Chandigarh’s safety a day after the incident.
On the silence of MP and mayor, he said, “One expected that women holding important posts of MP and mayor will take some action, but the sad part is they did not even condemn the issue.”
Chandigarh Congress chief, Pardeep Chhabra said, “Had it been a victim from an influential family, MP may have reacted, but since the victim is from a lower middle class family, so even after two days the MP and mayor are quiet on this.”
A former union minister and senior BJP leader, Harmohan Dhawan said, “Senior women BJP leaders should have taken the matter seriously with UT administration, but they did not do it. The law and order situation is deteriorating day-by-day and BJP should hold a meeting on this.”
The victim hails from Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The vocal Uttarakhand associations in city, who take up national issues and hold protest have been quiet as well over this crime. Even other organisations in city, who take out rallies and protests on national and international issues, have stayed put over the gang rape.
