The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : ‘Liquor policy fuelling crime against women’

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Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

‘Liquor policy fuelling crime against women’

Staff Reporter

AIDWA mass awareness campaign from Feb. 11 to March 15

Sangareddy: State president of the All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA), T. Jyothi, addressing the press here on Monday demanded a policy announcement from the State Government during the ensuing budget session to curb attacks on women.

She was here to participate in the Medak district AIDWA committee meeting at the Sundaraiah Bhavan.

She attributed the spurt in violence against women to failure of the Government in implementing existing provisions of law.

She pointed out that the Apex court has given guidelines in 1977 itself directing the Government to ensure formation of grievance cells to deal with sexual harassment in each office.

Citing the examples of rape cases in Medak district, including the recent case of rape of a minor Dalit girl, Jyothi said that the criminals in earlier cases are roaming free due to several lacunae in the criminal justice system.

The general lawlessness has emboldened others to commit similar crime, she said.

‘Chalo Assembly’

She said that the policy of the Government to increase sale of liquor from Rs. 7,000 crore to Rs. 10,000 crore would fuel household violence.

She demanded priority for single women and single mothers in all Government programmes.

She announced that a mass awareness campaign on all these issues would be taken up from February 11 to March 15 all over the State, which would culminate as Chalo Assembly on 17.

Medak AIDWA president Sharada who announced the results of a study made by them on single women in the district, particularly in Zaheerabad, Sadasivapet, Patancheru, Sangareddy and Narsapur areas, demanded pension for widows.

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