Civil society group Jorhat Nagarik Samaj on Saturday said that crimes against women are increasing at an alarming rate in Assam after BJP comes to power in the state.
The citizens’ group submitted a memorandum to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal through the deputy commissioner here seeking capital punishment to perpetrators of rape and free of cost treatment to women who suffered various atrocities and torture.
The memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister said that Assam had for so long been a peace loving state which had always held women in high regard but after the BJP-led government took over in 2016 there have been an alarming rise in crimes against women including rapes and murders.
According to reports 29223 complaints of crimes against women and 3009 rape complaints had been lodged since then. Out of this only 76 had been convicted from among 1786 tried.
The memorandum said that the government should play an objective role in fighting crime instead of honing upon the religion and community of a person as was being done at present.
The religion and community of a person should not be the moot point when talking about crimes and criminals, the Samaj stated.
The government should give adequate security and protection to women against rapes, eve teasing, serial harassment and torture.
The Samaj demanded that more women police should be recruited and should be handed the cases for investigation.
Swift action should be taken to arrest the culprits and exemplary punishment given.
A few days ago a human chain carrying torches came out in a procession in Jorhat following an appeal made in Facebook to protest against the rising crimes against women in Assam.