Cong launches Beti Bachao campaign in Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Congress will launch a ‘Beti Bachao’ campaign in Madhya Pradesh from the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi against the state government’s ‘failure’ to control crime against women.

While speaking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, Jitu Patwari said the 15-day “non-political” campaign involved Congress workers and leaders meeting family members of women crime victims.

He alleged that the BJP government in the state had completely failed to curb rising crimes against women during its 18-year rule during which more than 4.10 lakh women became victims of criminal atrocities, Patwari told reporters.

He cited a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report which claimed that more than 65,000 rape cases have been registered in MP since 2004. “This is an official number; the reality is much worse.”

“On an average, a girl is raped every hour in the state while a younger girl is raped every three hours. More than 1.40 lakh cases of crimes against women are still pending,” Patwari claimed.

According to Patwari, the age of female crime victims ranges from three to 70 years, which is a testament to the dire state of the law-and-order front in Parliament.

“More than 2,400 cases of rape, including 140 gang rapes, were registered in just nine months under the watch of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav (who heads the state’s home ministry),” Patwari claimed.

Given that 47 per cent posts of women sub-inspectors are vacant, investigation into these cases is still pending, he said.

Sharing the details of the ‘Beti Bachao’ drive, which was reportedly mocked on the central government’s slogan ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, Patwari said Congress workers would meet and extend support to families of women victims of crimes at city and block levels .

A speak-up campaign will be held on October 2, followed by a district-level Youth Congress torchlight procession on October 5 and a candle march by Congress workers on October 7. The party workers will fast on October 8 and perform ‘Kanya Pujan’, an important ritual during the Navratri festival.

A memorandum will be submitted to the state government on October 14 and fasting will be held in Bhopal on October 16, Patwari said.

“If the law and order situation does not improve, the Congress will call for a bandh in Madhya Pradesh,” he added.