INDIA: 'Centre Insensitive Towards Women'

JAIPUR: The National Commission for Women, chairperson, Mamta Sharma on Friday hit out against Congress government in centre for failing to allocate funds under the Nirbhaya Fund announced in 2013 union budget.

Reacting on a brutal rape of a six-year-old girl from Jhunjhunu, who is recovering in J K Lon Hospital in Jaipur, Sharma said, "Commission's repeated letters to finance minister P Chidambaram and prime minister Manmohan Singh went unanswered. It is highly unfortunate that the government has shown insensitivity towards the safety and security of women," Sharma told TOI.

The UPA-2 had announced Rs 1000 crores funds for the Nirbhaya fund which was yet to be released. The government had asked states to propose new plans that can be financed through Nirbhaya Fund. The government, however, failed to allocate a single penny under this fund.

Expressing her anger, she said funds could have been utilized to create massive awareness drives to bring a change in the mindset of the people towards women. "We have even asked for Rs 100 crore funds for NCW especially to run drives and rehabilitation programs to function effectively but our demand was turned down," said Sharma adding that such programs could have averted many such cases.

While sharing her observation in dealing such cases, she said, "Though we have strict laws like POSCO in place but our law enforcement agencies failed to practice it effectively." Sharma spoke to health minister Rajendra Singh Rathore to ensure safety and security of women.

She is likely to visit the hospital to see the victim on May 14. The rape victim, who was brought in the hospital in a critical condition, is recovering. She sustained multiple injuries--fractures in both hand ribs and damage in throat--underwent one operation and is recovering.