A civilised society must be aware of the dignity of women, President Pranab Mukherjee today said when asked about the menace of increasing crime against women.
"That society is not at all a civilised society where women are tortured," Mukherjee said at a programme in Kirnahar Shib Chandra High School, where he had studied up to the primary level.
The president was replying to the statement made by a teacher, who said "Sir, we are worshipping Durga, on the other hand the modesty of the women are being outraged everyday."
Mukherjee also said, "it is a matter of shame for a society. We have to keep up respect towards womenfolk."
Arun Roy, a teacher of the school, said "after entering the school compound, the President visibly became emotional. He spent around one hour and ten minutes though the time allotted was 45 minutes."
Mukherjee reached Kirnahar in Birbhum district this afternoon. He was received by West Bengal Fisheries minister Chandranath Sinha and the district magistrate J P Meena at a make-shift helipad.
Mukherjee, who would stay here for four days, would attend a number of programmes including the Durga puja celebration at his ancestral home at Mirati village.
The president, who was accompanied by his wife Subhra Mukherjee, also visited his elder sister, Annapurna Mukherjee at her house in Kirnahar.
Tomorrow, Mukherjee is expected to attend the Saptami puja, after which he would go to the Visva Bharati University.
