Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao : Myth Or Reality ?

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was launched by the Prime Minister with considerable fanfare in Panipat, Haryana on January 22, 2015.

Its Objectives were :

• Check declining child sex ratio,

• Stop sex based discriminations,

• Encourage educating girl child and

• Ensure empowerment of women

Need for taking care of and respecting individuals from fair sex has been stressed upon in our many religious scriptures, oral traditions, poetry collections, novels and creative arts for ages. Besides, some festivals specially focus on women.Without women universe would come to a standstill.

Let us try to analyse whether concerned Ministry and Departments of various states are performing highlighted duties relating to education, safety and security of women sincerely.

At the outset, it may be stated that physical facilities can be and have improved over the years. These have become plus points for the politicians in power to make a claim or two. But we have miles to go in respect of correcting a certain bias or attitude towards a girl child or a young woman. It may be also stated that women in authority in family or educational institution or offices also have dubious distinction to make a contribution in this regard. If it was not so why should we have episodes, such as, gang rape of Bhanwari Devi, Nirbhaya’s rape & murder, rape & murder of a teenager in Hathras, similar inhuman treatment given to a Doctor in R.G.Kar Hospital in Kolkata, rape in I.I.M., Kolkata, sexual harassment and death of a woman in Balasore, Odisha or murder of Radhika Yadav, a young Tennis player in Gurgaon.

BHANWARI DEVI RAPE CASE OF RAJASTHAN

Bhanwari Devi, a social worker of Women’s Development Programme in Rajasthan had tried to stop marriage of a nine month old child sometimes in 1996. She was called a lowly woman from a poor and Potter community by the Gujjar caste landlords. Ramkaran Gujjar and his five friends decided to teach her a lesson.They gang raped her repeatedly in front of her husband.

Though their medical examination revealed clear semen marks on her cloths, they were acquitted of their crime by High Court of Rajasthan.

A number of women’s organisations of Rajasthan and Delhi, therefore, rallied under a voluntary organisation called ‘Vishakha’ and filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the judgement of the High Court of Rajasthan.

After hearing the sufferer, accused and womens’ organisations in detail , the bench headed by the then Chief Justice J.S.Verma and comprising of Justice(Mrs) Sujata V. Manohar and Justice B.N.Kirpal gave a comprehensive ruling in August, 1997. Apart from touching and deciding punishment for offence, the bench was pleased to spell out detailed Guidelines to address and prevent sexual harassment in a work place.

These were crucial in shaping the legal framework for protecting women’s rights in the country, particularly in the context of employment. These were also a response to the need for a framework to provide protection to women from any kind of harassment.

KEY ASPECTS OF VISHAKHA GUIDELINES

• Sexual Harassment was defined including physical contact, advances, unwelcome behaviour etc,

• Mechanism for Redressal of Sexual Harassment complains prescribed,

• Responsibility of Employer was spelt out to prevent sexual harassment,

• Provided for an Internal Complaints Committee with majority of women members and one member from an NGO working on women’s issues,

• Procedural Safeguards were provided,

• Provision for Awareness campaigns and sensitivity trainings was made,

• No discrimination be made against women,

• Each office had to file an Annual Report

The Guidelines were the characteristic feature of a landmark judgement of the apex court of the country. Women who were silent sufferers and spectators earlier, began coming forward. Thus complaints could be heard bereft of any fear or favour and justice could be dispensed with accordingly. However, it is also a fact that not all such complaints are genuine and that in some cases male opponents have been put to different forms of harassment, unnecessarily.

It should, therefore, be the duty of the trial court to take an appropriate view while admitting a case.

Vishakha Guidelines were subsequently replaced by enactment of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition & Redressal) Act, 2013.

Prior to circulation of these guidelines, no formal guidelines existed in the matter and that provisions under Sections 354 (Criminal Assault on Women) and 509 (Outraging Modesty of Women) of Indian Penal Code were used.

NIRBHAYA CASE OF DECEMBER 2012

Nirbhaya, a physiotherapy student of Delhi was given lift in a ‘tourist’ bus in Munirka locality of Delhi by a driver and his five colleagues. Within minutes, she was raped in the running bus, inflicted severe injuries all over body, including insertion of an iron rod into her genitals and dumped on highway.

Of the six culprits arrested, one committed suicide in jail, one turned out to be a juvenile while four were hanged after seven years of comprehensive trial.

The case saw largest ever protests and demonstrations in the country in November- December, 2012 and amendments were carried out in Criminal laws subsequent to recommendations of Justice J. S. Verma Committee. These were significantly amended, primarily focusing on sexual offences against children and women. Attempt was also made to provide quick trials and enhanced punishment for such offences and improve legal framework for addressing sexual violence. A deterrent effect on potential offenders was also attempted.

Provisions were made very stringent so as to deter the deviant persons attempting such heinous crimes. However, later developments show that crime oriented or tilted persons are found as incorrigible as ever.

RAPE & MURDER AT R.G.KAR HOSPITAL, KOLKATA

A 31 year old Lady Doctor, who was pursuing P.G. studies in R.G.Kar Government college & hospital in Kolkata went to take rest in Seminar room of the hospital on completion of her duties late at night on August 8, 2024. A man hiding closeby attacked, raped and murdered her. The incident shook whole of Kolkata and later protests and strikes took place all over country. High Court of Calcutta and Supreme Court took strong note of developments.

Lone accused was awarded Life Imprisonment on January 18, 2025. Thus trial in this case moved faster than Nirbhaya case and the accused was finally convicted in 5 months.

RAPE CASE AT I.I.M., KOLKATA

Another case of alleged rape in the hostel of prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata has happened on July 11. Accused has been arrested alongwith detention of four others and investigations are proceeding in full swing. Mobile phone and apparel of the accused as also woman’s apparel have been seized. Accused belongs to Karnataka. As the legal process is underway, it is hoped that trial will begin soon and proper Justice will be done at an early date.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT & DEATH OF A STUDENT AT BALASORE

A young woman student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College at Balasore, Odisha made a complaint on July 1, 2025 against her head of Department and later staged a dharna regarding her alleged sexual harassment. When college authorities and Police did not take any action, she took an extreme step of ending her life.She had claimed that an Assistant Professor had asked her for undue and inappropriate favours and also threatened to destroy her academic future if she refused. She also alleged that she was being prevented from attending classes.

Seeing no respite, on July 12, she poured petrol and set herself ablaze on the campus. She was rushed to District hospital.She was later admitted to AIIMS, Bhubaneshwar with extremely critical 90% burn injuries.

Though accused Assistant Professor and Principal have been arrested and suspended, can such an attitude reflecting dominance of man be permitted ?

Odisha Chief Minister visited extremely critical student in hospital.Sensing gravity, National Commission For Women has also directed DGP, Odisha to ensure a fair and time bound probe. President of India not only inquired about the hospitalised student but met her Parents also. Alas, all this was late in the day.

The student ultimately succumbed to her injuries on July 15. Navin Patnaik, the former C.M. of Odisha summed up thus : “Struggling for Justice, the girl ultimately closed her eyes”.

CASE OF RADHIKA YADAV

Brutal murder of a 25 year old Tennis player on July 10 at Gurgaon by Deepak Yadav, her own father has sent shockwaves. This promising international player and a popular coach, having good footwork was hit by four bullets. Her uncle and a cousin took her to a nearby hospital but before entering the building she had expired.

The accused, an obstinate, tradition bound and short tempered father, was arrested after eight hours which raises genuine doubts over conduct of Police. It may have led to tempering of evidence. Deletion of Radhika’s Facebook account too raises doubts. It could have been a crucial piece of evidence.However, mother becoming tight lipped in such a situation is nothing unusual in tradition bound setting of Haryana.

It has been learnt that father could not stand rising success graph of daughter, though not only he invested Rs 2 Crores in her Tennis academy but he would also accompany her during her tournaments and video film shootings abroad.

According to a bosom friend of the deceased, Radhika felt suffocated at home and that her father had made her life miserable.The father seems to have cared more about what neighbours commented on Radhika’s income being used for running the house, rather than what she wanted. So one fine day Radhika was told to stop coaching. She did not take it lightly.

Question that is being raised is : How could a loving and caring father be so cruel to his girl child ,so as to take her life ? Also Why was he carried away by taunts from his local friends over his daughter’s earning ?

One elderly male visitor rightly summed up the prevailing scenario very aptly :

“You say you love and care for your daughter and then the next day you do something like this.”

LESSONS TO DRAW

Developments emanating from all the seven cases discussed above and below

Would Show That :

• It requires a great deal of courage to report such cases of mental torture and physical harassment,

• All limits of inhuman behaviour have been exceeded in these cases,

• Much hue and cry is made in the streets, social media, newspapers and periodicals whenever an offence concerning outraging modesty of a woman comes to notice,

• Media trials taking place at regular intervals, many a time, impede and confuse Police investigations and politicians too get additional food for thought,

• Procedural pace in police stations and courts do not pick up the desired momentum. Most of such cases are viewed as routine ones after passage of time,

• Special Investigation Teams, often headed by slightly senior police officers and Fast Track Courts do not make a dent, all the time,

• Many rape cases happening regularly within the confines of rigid and iron curtained homes, small places and remote areas are not reported at all,

• Latest in the list are the fast mushrooming Coaching institutes.Three ‘Lecturers’ of a private institute in Dakshina Karnataka District have just been arrested for allegedly raping a 19 year old student repeatedly over the last six months.They were blackmailing her as well through Instagram and Facebook.She reported the matter very late to her Parents who approached the State Women’s Commission. Police have registered cases against the trio, thereafter,

• One can say that innocent girls who are also denied proper nutrition and minimum education in many places, continue to live in a state of fear for long.They lose life at regular intervals.

In view of above facts, how could we say that all Betis have been educated ? If yes, is there adequate mechanism for protecting and safeguarding them from men, many times behaving like animals ?

CONCLUSION

In sum and substance, educational status of girl child seems to have improved in the country. Child sex ratio is also going up, but on a marginal plane. Sex based biases and disciminations, nevertheless, continue in many places and settings.

Against This Backdrop,

Can Empowerment Of Women Be Guaranteed ?

(The author is former Chief Secretary, Sikkim)