The Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress (DPMC) organised a protest to demand the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the portfolio of Women and Child Development Ministry on the issue of disappearance of nine girls from a government shelter home in Delhi.
DPMC president Sharmistha Mukherjee led several women to the Delhi Secretariat from the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office at DDU Marg, but were stopped en-route by the police at the ITO crossing.
‘Sacking not enough’
Speaking at the protest Ms. Mukherjee said, “It is shocking that nine women from a government shelter home, who were the victims of trafficking and sex trade, have vanished without trace from the Capital of India.” She said that the Delhi government must immediately find the women, ensure their safety and fix accountability from lowest to the topmost level for this most unfortunate incident. “Sacking some officers is not enough,” she said.
Ms. Mukherjee further said that political authority must be held responsible and accountable. “People chose Mr. Kejriwal and his Ministers and MLAs to govern Delhi, not the officers. Political leadership cannot be exonerated of their responsibility and accountability,” she added.
Ms. Mukherjee said that after the incidents of Muzaffarpur in Bihar and Deoria in UP, Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress did a survey of some of the government shelter homes in Delhi in August 2018 and found massive irregularities and had recommended that a social audit be conducted. She alleged that the Kejriwal government did not take any action. “Had social auditing been done at that time, this unfortunate incident could have been prevented,” she also said.
