New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday observed that crimes against women are taking place across the country and that is part of the social reality, however, one cannot excuse what is happening in Manipur, while a counsel cited incidents of violence against women in West Bengal.
Advocate Bansuri Swaraj submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and comprising justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra that incidents of violence against women which emerged in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh were similar to Manipur.
The Chief Justice said, “We are dealing with Manipur right, we will hear you later…” Swaraj pressed that whatever mechanism the Supreme Court develops, the daughters of pan India should be protected and added, “grateful to lords for taking cognizance of what happened in Manipur”. The Chief Justice said, “Ms Swaraj the only distinction is this, undoubtedly there are crimes against women taking place all over the country and that is part of our social reality.”
"We are dealing with something of unprecedented magnitude, namely perpetration of violence against women in a situation of communal or sectarian strife of the nature which taken place in Manipur...There is no gain in saying the fact that crimes against women are taking place in all parts. The only answer is this. You cannot excuse what is taking place in one part of the country like Manipur on the ground that similar crimes are happening in other parts too. Questions is how do we deal with Manipur. Mention that...Are you saying protect all daughters of India or don't protect anyone?" the CJI asked.
Swaraj said in July, a mob of 40-50 men disrobed a panchayat poll candidate and molested her and also paraded her nude in a village in West Bengal and mentioned another incident identical to Manipur and pressed that no FIR has been registered. Swaraj said in the case of West Bengal it is equally grave as violence against women is being used to punish the electorate.
Swaraj said there are over 9000 FIRs in West Bengal and only 3 percent people are incarcerated and 97 percent of perpetrators are roaming free. “Kindly protect all daughters of India and kindly do not limit that mechanism only to Manipur….”, said Swaraj. She contended that two women in Bikaner were raped and the perpetrators of gang rape are police officers.
The Chief Justice said, “you are saying do something for daughters of India or do not do anything for anybody at all?” After hearing submissions from Swaraj, the Chief Justice said he will hear the Attorney General's view in the Manipur matter. The Advocate pressed that whatever mechanism the court is following on Manipur, the same should be also followed in West Bengal, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Kerala where similar incidents have happened.
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