Crimes against women unpardonable sin, those helping perpetrators should not be spared: PM Modi amid protest over Kolkata rape-murder

Modi's strong remarks follow protests against the brutal rape and murder of 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's R G Kar Hospital and the sexual abuse of two four-year-old schoolgirls in Badlapur.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Union government is strengthening laws to curb crime against women even as he reiterated his call to state governments not to spare anyone perpetrating atrocities against women.

“The security of women is very important. I will once again tell every state government that crimes against women are unforgivable. No matter who the culprit is, they should not be spared,” PM Modi said addressing a meeting after facilitating Self Help Group (SHG) workers in Maharashtra's Jalgaon.

“We are strengthening laws to ensure stringent punishment for those perpetrating crimes against women,” PM Modi added.

This is the second time in 10 days that PM has spoken on the issue amidst nationwide outrage over the gruesome rape and murder of a Kolkata medic at the R G Kar Medical College.

The prime minister’s comments also come in the aftermath of violent protests following the sexual abuse of two four-year-old school girls in Maharashtra’s Badlapur, and the gangrape of a minor in Assam’s Dhing.

“The safety of mothers, sisters, and daughters is the country's priority. I have repeatedly raised this issue from the Red Fort. Be it any state of the country, I understand the pain and anger of my sisters and daughters,” Modi added.

He said that the message that perpetrators in such cases should not be spared should be sent from the top to bottom, and that governments “will come and go”, but the dignity of a woman is of utmost importance.

“Those helping the perpetrators of crimes against women should not be spared. Be it a hospital, school, government or police station, at whatever level negligence occurs, everyone should be held accountable,” he asserted.

At Jalgaon, Modi was interacting with women engaged in SHGs, many of whom had benefited from the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme, and said that till 2014, less than Rs 25,000 crore loans were disbursed to women SHGs, but in the last 10 years, loans to the tune of Rs 9 lakh crore has been released. The prime minister was releasing loans worth Rs 2,500 crore which are set to benefit 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh SHGs.

In a bid to woo the women in the state ahead of the Assembly polls, Modi said that while in the last decade, 1 crore women in SHGs became ‘Lakhpati Didis’, in the past two months, 11 lakh more women have become ‘Lakhpati Didis’. “Out of these 11 lakh Lakhpati Didis, 1 lakh women are from Maharashtra,” he said.