'Serious concern': PM Modi on crimes against women amid Kolkata rape-murder

Amid the outrage over the Kolkata rape-murder, PM Modi on Saturday that faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population

In a powerful statement addressing the growing concerns over women’s safety, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for swift and decisive action against crimes targeting women and children. His remarks come amid widespread protests following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital and the sexual abuse of two four-year-old schoolgirls in Badlapur, near Mumbai.

Speaking at the National Conference of District Judiciary, PM Modi highlighted the urgency of addressing these heinous acts, stating, “Today, atrocities against women, the safety of children... are serious concerns of society.”

“Many strict laws have been made in the country for the safety of women, but we need to make it more active. The faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population will get,” he added.

 

These comments follow a series of strong statements from the Prime Minister, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of prioritising women’s safety. Last week, during the ‘Lakhpati Didi Sammelan’ in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon, Modi described crimes against women as “unpardonable sins” and urged that the guilty must face the full force of the law.

“The safety of mothers, sisters, and daughters is a national priority,” he said, adding that this message must resonate across all political parties and state governments.

The Prime Minister’s call for action has been echoed by Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi, who responded to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plea for stricter punishments for heinous crimes. 

On Friday, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi replied to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s second letter to PM Modi reiterating her earlier demand for strict punishment for heinous crimes such as rape and rape-murder.

The WCD Minister mentioned that stringent punishments for rape/ rape with murder “already exist in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)”. 

“It prescribes for a minimum of 10 years rigorous imprisonment for rape and extendable up to life imprisonment for the remainder of the natural life of the convict or with death depending upon the severity of the crime,” the Union Minister said in her letter.