Attacks Against Women Are Decreasing In Kerala: CM Vijayan

Attacks against women are decreasing in Kerala: CM said, UDF rejected the claim.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said incidents of sexual harassment and related crimes against women are on the decline in the state and his government aims to create a society where no woman is harassed.

He made the statement during Zero Hour in the state assembly when the opposition Congress-led UDF tried to attack the Vijayan-led Left government and the Home Department over some recent incidents of violence and rape against women in different parts of the state.

Citing figures, the Chief Minister said that in 2016, 15,114 cases of violence against women were registered, while in 2020 the number came down to 12,659.

The number of rape cases has come down to 1,880 in 2020 from 2,003 in the year 2017, he said, adding that only 3,890 assault cases were registered in 2020, while 4,413 cases were registered in 2017.

He said the number of deaths following dowry-related harassment came down to just six in 2020 from 12 reported in 2017.

“The fact is that between 2016 and 2021, the number of sexual assault and related crimes are showing a decline,” Vijayan said. Violence against women seems to be declining in the state.

But, the government is not satisfied with this. Our aim is to create a society where no woman is harassed.

He said that the government itself was interfering in the investigation of crimes against women. He said that several programs have been launched to achieve the target.

He also questioned the allegations leveled by MLA Rosie M Jan (Congress).

Rosie M Jan had given notice for an adjournment motion on the issue that the southern state was worse off than northern India in terms of attacks against women.

The opposition, however, alleged that there were three incidents of gang rape in Kerala in the last three months and that the police and the home department failed to investigate the attacks against women.

Adding to the recent cases of rape and other crimes against women across the state, including a minor Dalit girl in Kuttiyadi, he said, they wanted to discuss the matter in the House.

Speaker MB Rajesh did not give a chance to the opposition on the basis of the answer of the Chief Minister, then the opposition members later staged a walkout.