Chennai: Suspecting foul play in not releasing the annual report published by National Crime Records Bureau, VCK MP, D. Ravikumar, demanded the publication of NCRB data immediately. While addressing the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Ravikumar said the BJP Government had not published the report, a compilation of crime across the country released annually, since 2016. The report serves as an important tool in understanding law and order situation and to recommend policy changes across the country. The report, 'Crime in India', was last published in 2017 for crimes that took place in 2016. Reports for 2017 and 2018 are yet to be filed.
The Villupuram MP Ravikumar suspects the Central government wishes to hide something and they are wantonly delaying the publication of the NCRB data. This is the first time that there is such a delay. Usually, the report is released within the same year. Every year, after the data is released, there is a huge outcry in the media about the rising rates of farmer suicides, violence against women and SC/ ST communities.
When the country is facing an agrarian crisis, the NCRB data would assume significance since it also records farmer suicides, he said. Demanding the immediate publication of NCRB data, Ravikumar also sought a follow-up on the action taken on the previous report, especially with regard to rising violence against SC/ ST communities across the country.
He said, "If the government releases the data then they have to accept the truth and acknowledge increasing violence against minorities like mob lynching and caste killings.
Blaming the States for not submitting data as per revised format, G Kishan Reddy, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, replied in Parliament that the NCRB had not finalised the "Crime in India report" for 2017 so far.
With a view to ensure that published data suits the requirement of various stakeholders, NCRB had revised the pro forma for collecting crime statistics and trained state/union territory personnel on the new format. The data in the revised pro forma from all states/union territories have not been received. According to sources, except for two states, 27 others had submitted the NCRB data in the required format. West Bengal and Bihar had caused delays in the publication of the data.
