New Delhi: The molestation of women in Bengaluru on New Year’s eve has come as a severe embarrassment to the Karnataka government ahead of the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) there from January 7 to 9, which claimed in New Delhi that Bengaluru still continued to be among the safest cities for women and that the incident was being probed. The PBD will be attended by over 4,000 persons of Indian origin (PIO) and Non-resident Indians (NRIs) from abroad. Indian-origin Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa will be the chief guest.
In response to a question by reporters on the shocking incident, senior IAS officer and Karnataka’s Commissioner for Industrial Development Gaurav Gupta said Bengaluru continued to be among the safest cities in India for women, adding, “The incident (of molestation) is being probed.”
National Commission for Women chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam came down heavily on the police and slammed home minister G Parameshwara's remarks, demanding that he resign.
“If there were 1,500 policemen and still they could not prevent such incidents, well then it’s a very sorry state of affairs and police do not deserve to be the police if they can’t protect women,” she said. Kumaramangalam further informed the Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and has written to the DGP, City police Commissioner and the home minister seeking a reply on what action has been taken immediately.
“We have decided that if the reply is unsatisfactory, we will send a team to do enquiry to find out why the police has not suo motu taken cognisance of what has happened,” she said.
“Such remarks from the Home Minister are unacceptable and regrettable. I want to ask this Minister that are Indian men so pathetic and weak that when they see a woman in western clothes on a day of revelry, they get out of control? When will the Indian men learn to respect women? The minister should apologise to the women of the country and resign,” she said.
Police claimed that they had made elaborate security arrangements for the New Year eve with 1,500 policemen on duty and several CCTV cameras installed, besides Karnataka State Reserve Police, City Armed Reserve and watch towers erected to keep a close watch.
Police at the spot were apparently outnumbered to control the miscreants. “We will try to identify the culprits and take action against them,” Karnataka DGP Om Prakash said.
Police said they had not received any complaints of molestation from anyone.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Commission for Women Chairperson Nagalakshmi Bai said, “I have taken cognisance of the reported incident. I have sought a report from police. After getting the report, I will take further action.”
