UDF flags rise in violent crimes against women

It walks out of House, says Govt. not doing enough

The Opposition United Democratic Front walked out of the Assembly on Thursday, accusing the Government of failing to stem the tide of violent crimes against women.

Seeking the leave of the House to introduce an adjournment motion to discuss the issue, Congress legislator Roji. M. John highlighted the gang rape of a teenage girl student at Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode as an illustrative case.

He recounted a series of startling crimes against women, including the seemingly unprovoked attack on a woman pedestrian by a schoolboy in Malappuram.

Mr. John said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had cleverly juggled figures to hide the real crime picture. However, the Government’s enumeration of atrocities committed against women in the Assembly was at once testimony and confession.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said entrenched patriarchy in the police, government, and political parties were the leading causes for the subjugation of women. Powerful males in the family often decided who women married, and the outlawed practice of dowry still endured.

The police often viewed victims of sexual abuse and rape through the prism of morality. They seemed skewed against women complainants, constantly doubting their character and probing their past. Recently, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader had given up his grandchild for adoption against the wishes of his daughter. The party, the police, and the child welfare council abetted the crime.

Students Federation of India activists, impelled by male bonding and a misplaced sense of machoism, attacked a woman Dalit All India Students Federation leader. They disparaged her caste and threatened rape, and the cases were just the tip of the iceberg.

The recent incidents in Kerala evoked the distressing memory of Kathua and Hathras rape crimes. “Societies which treat women as chattel tend to fail,” he said.

Mr. Vijayan said advancing gender equality was the government’s stated policy. The Chief Minister asked: “Whose political agenda do you serve by erroneously comparing Kerala to lawless pockets in northern India?.”

Crimes against women in Kerala had come down since 2018. “I am not touting it as an outstanding achievement; there is more ground to be covered,” Mr. Vijayan said.