PMC members held while going to gherao CM house

Raipur, August 23, 2013

Several Pradesh Mahila Congress (PMC) members were held near Shaheed Smarak Bhawan while they were going to gherao CM house in protest of rising women harassment cases in state on Friday. Before their arrest, the PMC members had minor clash with female cops while they tried to move past the barricades put near Shaheed Smarak Bhawan.

Earlier, the PMC organised its state-level conference at Shaheed Smarak Bhawan. Expressing her concern over recent women abuse cases in state, the organisation’s national president Anita Verma said females in Chhattisgarh were not secure under BJP government.

“There has been marked rise in rape cases in state in past nine and a half years. The females who have come from different parts of the state to gherao CM house indicate how infuriated they are with the government’s attitude towards their security,” she added.

She pointed that the rape victims run from pillar to post for justice as police never pose seriousness in trapping rapists.

“One such rape victim met me when I reached Raipur on August 22 evening. After the incident, when she reached police station to lodge complain, the cops refused to do so. Eventually, she reached CM house for help and the police registered FIR into her matter when CM’s spouse had to intervene. However, the culprit has not yet been arrested,” she said.

Addressing PMC members, PCC president Charandas Mahant said several women and girls were missing from state but the police could not find any clue about them. He said there had been persistent rise in women abuse cases in Chhattisgarh and the government had completely failed to provide them security.

CLP leader Ravindra Choubey said Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi wanted to increase women’s stake in politics. He informed that presently Congress had 38 female legislators. He appealed to the PMC members to gear up for upcoming assembly polls.

On the occasion, PMC president Ambika Markam, MLA Dr Renu Jogi, RMC mayor Kiranmayi Nayak and others were present.