New Delhi, Dec.23 (ANI): Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde have reportedly agreed to take several stringent steps to prevent incidents of rape.
The two leaders are said to have met and agreed to 14 steps, which include the following:
1. Expand the definition of sexual assault from eve-teasing to rape,acid attacks etc.
2. Apply the strictest provisions of the law for sexual assault (including, not giving bail).
3. Identification of sexual offenders, including creating a national register/database of all such offenders, besides consideration of other mechanisms.
4. Investigation to be fast tracked after an FIR relating to a sexual offence is lodged.
5.lncrease police patrolling and deployment of more PCR vans, besides punishing police personnel for delays in reaching the spot.
6. Increase policing through uniformed force as well as in plain clothes.
7. Appoint citizen security officers
8. Improve lighting in public spaces.
9. Set up CCTVs and technology in specific areas relating to women safety.
10. Install GPS in public transport Vehicles.
11. Install a dedicated number for contacting the police, 100 which should also be recorded like 911.
12. Ensure that the dedicated women's 24x7 helpline is made more effective.
13. Establish fast-track courts for conducting day-to-day trials in rarest of rare cases.
14. And, ensure 100 percent justice in such cases in the shortest possible time.
These steps were considered for immediate implementation even as public protests related to the December 16 gang rape of a 23-year-old woman escalated late on Sunday afternoon, after a few lumpen elements reportedly hurled bricks, stones and whatever else they could lay their hands on, on city police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel deployed across the national capital's central vista.
As per latest reports, orders have come from the top to completely sanitise the Rajpath area with immediate effect.
The situation along Rajpath, the central thoroughfare leading from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan, appears to be spinning out of control, with protesters and security personnel clashing violently amidst sporadic tear gas shelling and water cannon firing. Barricades set up across various intersections on the route have been thrown aside or dismantled, as the crowd's anger is being vented on the law enforcement authorities inspite of the imposition of prohibitory orders.
Several of the protesters have been injured by cane wielding security personnel, a majority of whom are attired in riot-related gear. The injured have been taken to hospitals for first aid treatment.
Television channels showed live pictures of the tear-gassed shelled atmosphere above Rajpath, indicating the intensity of the clashes below.
The public anger is such that some have demanded the immediate execution of the rapists, whether by hanging or by being burnt alive.
Protesters appear relentless in their determination to reach Raisina Hill, the seat of government. Some leaders have been demanding that the Prime Minister stop having in camera meetings and take a decisive step or action in addressing the crowd to calm tempers and public rage over the incident.
This was the second successive day that police resorted to lobbing teargas shells and use of water-jets, besides using force to contain the protesters who are demanding speedy justice and stringent punishment for the accused, even as doctors at Safdarjung Hospital said the condition of the victim continues to be critical.
A group of protesters also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who assured them of speedy action, but refused to give a time-frame for it.
Earlier in the day, East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit was stopped at India Gate and heckled. His car and a government jeep ferrying officials were damaged.
Central Delhi faced huge traffic chaos due to a security clampdown on Rajpath even as protesters blocked roads near India Gate.
Early this morning, around 50-60 protesters, who stayed put at Raisina Hills throughout the night and some others infront of Sonia Gandhi"s 10, Janpath residence, were evacuated while high drama was witnessed at India Gate when agitators resisted police attempts to detain them for defying prohibitory orders. (ANI)
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