Sisodia’s promise to school girls: ‘Will ensure city’s girls feel safe and free’

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This comes a week after the Delhi Cabinet appointed a Group of Ministers (GoM) to examine and recommend proposals for women’s safety including lowering the age of juveniles who can be tried for heinous crimes to 15.

“The girls, from Classes VIII to XII, spoke of their discomfort while travelling in public transport where they had encountered lewd behaviour or met heavily intoxicated people. Almost every girl had a story of being followed to her tuition class, or being troubled by motorcycle riders passing inappropriate statements and even facing trouble near their homes and in their local markets,” government officials said.

Officials said that some of the students narrated multiple personal stories of being followed or stared at for inordinate periods of time and being leched at, while others talked about their experiences of being stalked.

Assuring the students that the Delhi government wanted to provide them a safe environment, Sisodia said, “I am your elder brother and not just your education minister. I am here to ensure that you get a complete education while feeling free and secure in life. If you are afraid of anything, I’m here to ensure that the rule of law and public order takes care of those who trouble you.”

Seeking suggestions over the action that the government should take to make Delhi safer, Sisodia said, “I will personally work on all your suggestions and ensure that we take strong steps to ensure that you are safe in this city.”

“Atishi Marlena, Advisor to education minister, and director, women and child department, Saumya Gupta delicately spoke about issues of sexual abuse and crimes that happen at home and with people they know through their family and friends,” said a government official.
Over the next two weeks, the GoM will meet with different stakeholders on the seven-point mandate on women and child safety including lowering the age of offenders who can be tried as adults, from 18 to 15 and handing out a maximum punishment of death to those committing sexual offences against minors.

The GoM has invited suggestions on the issue, to be mailed to gomofdelhigov@gmail.com by November 7.