Women’s Organisations Demand NCW Member’s Removal over Remarks on Badaun Gangrape Victim

Six national women’s organisations have released a joint statement on January 8 condemning National Commission for Women member Chandramukhi Devi’s controversial comment on the Badaun gangrape and murder case, and demanded her immediate removal from the NCW.

Earlier on Thursday, January 7, the NCW member had been reportedly sent to visit the victim’s family in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district. However, addressing the press, Devi said, "A woman should always be mindful of the time and should not venture out late even if she is under pressure from someone. I wonder if the victim had not gone out alone in the evening, or gone with a family member, she could have been saved."

Devi had also commented that there was a clear negligence on part of the police in the case. She said, “They (police) could have saved the victim’s life. The autopsy shows the extent of brutality.”

But Devi’s controversial statement on women going out late created a huge furore, with NCW chief Rekha Sharma quickly taking to Twitter condemning Devi’s opinion. She also said that she does not know why the NCW member made such a statement.

No I don't..I don't know how and why the member has said this but women have all the right move on their will whenever and wherever they want to. It's society and state's duty to make places safe for women. https://t.co/WlG2DWs20G

— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) January 7, 2021

The press statement released by the national women’s organisations stated that, “It is shameful that a women's commission which is supposed to uphold women's rights should take a public stand condoning the criminals and putting the onus on the victim in order to make light of the terrible insecurity of women in the Yogi regime. It is shocking that a woman  propagating such feudal and patriarchal values is a member of the NCW.”

The statement has been signed by six women’s organisations including the All India Democratic Women’s Association, National Federation of Indian Women, All India Progressive Women’s Association, Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan, All India Mahila Sanskritik Sanghatan and All India Agragami Mahila Samiti.

Meanwhile, after drawing sharp flak from several quarters, Devi reportedly withdrew her comments, citing that it was taken out of context.“I did not make the remarks in the context as it was being shown on various news channels,” she said.

Also read: UP: 50-Year-Old Woman Gang-raped, Killed in Badaun; 2 Accused Arrested, One Absconding

The shocking incident, reminiscent of the Hathras case in UP, highlights the negligent attitude of the Yogi Adityanath-led UP Government towards the increasing security risks for women the state, according to the women’s organisations.

The victim, a 50-year-old anganwadi worker had gone missing after going to a temple on Sunday evening. As per reports, when the victim’s family went to file the missing report at the Ughaiti Police Station, they were turned back. The FIR was only registered two days later following the autopsy confirming rape. 

In an earlier statement released by women’s organisations, they had alleged that, “In a repeat of the callousness evidenced in the Hathras case, the police ignored the pleas of the family to lodge the FIR. They turned up only the next morning and after the post mortem revealed severe injuries including injuries in the private parts of the victim's body.”

While the SHO has been suspended for laxity, the women’s organisations had expressed doubt over the administration’s commitment to accountability.

According to the latest reports, the temple priest, who was the main accused has been arrested in the late hours of Thursday, January 7, while the two other accused were nabbed on Tuesday following the autopsy.

The complete statement of the national women’s organisations is given below.

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT FROM NATIONAL WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS

Remove Chandramukhi Devi From NCW

Women's organisations have very strongly condemned the statement by NCW member Chandramukhi Devi who apparently visited the family of the raped and murdered anganwadi worker in Badaun and said that had the woman not gone out on her own and been accompanied by a (male) child of the family then the incident would not have occurred. It is shameful that a women's commission which is supposed to uphold women's rights should take a public stand condoning the criminals and putting the onus on the victim in order to make light of the terrible insecurity of women in the Yogi regime. It is shocking that a woman  propagating such feudal and patriarchal values is a member of the NCW. We demand that she be forthwith removed from the Commission.

ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION (AIDWA)

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDIAN WOMEN (NFIW)

ALL INDIA PROGRESSIVE WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION (AIPWA)

PRAGATISHEEL MAHILA SANGHATAN (PMS)

ALL INDIA MAHILA SANSKRITIK SANGHATAN (AIMSS)

ALL INDIA AGRAGAMI MAHILA SAMITI (AIAMS)