Ensure women’s safety, PM asks DGPs

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday asked the police chiefs of all states and Union territories to work for women safety, and ensure that institutional mechanisms were in place for the purpose.
Citing the Nirbhaya case in his address to the three-day DGP meet here, Singh said it had brought into focus the issue of women’s safety but also growing expectations of the people from police in preventing such crimes.
“We have recently enacted several laws providing stringent punishment for such crimes and more sensitive treatment of victims during investigation and trial,” he recalled.
Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal has been accused of rape under the provisions of the new anti-rape law passed in March.
Singh insisted on the need for setting up institutional mechanisms to ensure the safety and security of women and children. “I expect the DGPs of states to show leadership in this area,” he said, without elaborating on what these institutional mechanisms could be.
The Tehelka case has highlighted the inadequate implementation of Vishaka guidelines to deal with sexual harassment at workplaces.