An interim report of the Justice (retd) Dharmadhikari Committee, set up to curb crimes against women, has asked Maharashtra government to control social networking sites as they can be used to harass women. It also wants the state to rehabilitate unwed young mothers from tribal communities.
The suggestions are contained in the fourth and the fifth interim reports of the committee, submitted to HC by government on Monday.
The state government also informed the court that the tenure of the Dharmadhikari Committee, which had submitted three interim reports in the past, had been extended till November 30.
Five days ago, a division bench had issued a contempt notice against principal home secretary for government’s inaction in implementing the committee’s recommendations.
The interim report submitted on Monday said social networking sites such as Facebook had become harassment for women and the government should take steps to stop violent tendencies against women displayed on such sites.
The report also pointed out that there were a number of incidents of unwed minor tribal girls becoming mothers, and suggested that the state look after their rehabilitation.
The Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari committee was set up by the government in 2010.
It consists of senior women political leaders, social activists as well as bureaucrats.
The court was hearing a suo moto public interest litigation based on newspaper reports and another PIL filed by the NGO ‘Help Mumbai Foundation’ about women’s safety on suburban trains.
The PILs argue that the Maharashtra government has not yet decided the course of action on recommendations made by the Dharmadhikari committee.
