Rajasthan: State women’s panel member Suman Sharma clicks selfie with abuse victim

The woman has accused her husband and in-laws of tattooing abuses on her body after dowry demands.

Rajasthan State Commission for Women chairperson Suman Sharma was caught in a row Wednesday after a colleague from the Commission took a selfie with a victim of domestic abuse. Opposition Congress accused the Commission and the BJP government in the state, of being insensitive towards women.

Sharma and her colleague Saumya Gurjar were hearing the victim as part of their probe into her complaint, when the latter took a picture with the victim on her cellphone. The picture shows Sharma and Gurjar, along with the victim, in a cheerful mood.

Suman Sharma, #Rajasthan commission for women, clicked a selfie with a rape victim #SocialMediaDay2016 #shame pic.twitter.com/DFHXx7L5On

— Amam Shah (@amamsshah) June 30, 2016

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A senior police official was also reportedly in the frame. The woman has accused her husband and in-laws of tattooing abuses on her body after dowry demands.

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The women’s panel chief expressed regret at the incident. “The other Commission member took the picture without my knowledge; I don’t approve of it. It was wrong,” Sharma said. “I asked her (Gurjar) about the incident and she said she took the picture to cheer up the victim, as she was depressed. “Still, I have asked for a written reply.”

State Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma said, “Despite a court order, the FIR was registered after 10 days. It shows the state government’s attitude towards women. The Women’s Commission is a statutory body and this sort of conduct shows lack of commitment of office-bearers.”

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