Shashi Tharoor, MP, has called for gender awareness education among youngsters. He was interacting with young voters here on Wednesday.
Mr. Tharoor was responding to a question on the need for women and children-friendly policies in the wake of the brutal murder of a law student at Perumbavoor. The event was organised as part of the Assembly election campaign of UDF candidate from Ernakulam Hibi Eden.
“I think a big problem in our society is how men regard women. They tend to see them as objects or in some pre-defined roles. These are the things that really have to change,” he said.
He said that ever since the Nirbhaya incident in Delhi he has been campaigning for better surveillance of public places. But tragically, this incident happened inside a house.
“And there is no government which can come to your house to protect you. So the focus needs to be on social awareness and social responsibility. What is shocking is that in an area where houses are packed close to each other and people are living cheek-by-jowl, her screams and cries went unheard. That I think is very sad,” Mr. Tharoor said. He shot down arguments that corruption charges against the UDF government would influence the voting pattern in the election.
He extended his support to a Model Engineering College student who called for relaxing the curfew hours in girls’ hostels by a couple of hours at least from the present 6 p.m. complaining that it was adversely affecting their academic and social life.
Falling back on his experience from supporting a protest for a similar demand in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Tharoor said that it was often the parents who wanted their daughters back in the safety of hostels early. He, nevertheless, urged Mr. Eden to take up the cause to make a difference at least in Kochi.
No govt. can come to your house to protect you, so the focus should be on awareness, he says
