Rekha Gupta Says Women’s Safety Cannot Rest Only On Restrictions On Girls, Urges Focus On Boys

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said women’s safety cannot be reduced to restrictions on girls. She urged families and society to pay more attention to the behaviour and upbringing of boys, while stressing the responsibility of police, civic agencies and courts to make the capital safer.

Gupta made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing the diamond jubilee function of Maitreyi College. She linked the issue to recent incidents of sexual violence and harassment that have again raised questions about women’s safety in Delhi.

The police stepped up their probe into the alleged gang rape of a minor at gunpoint inside Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Temple on September 21. The report said the incident took place between about 7.15 pm and 7.30 pm.

College Remarks

Gupta raised the issue directly. Speaking at Maitreyi College’s diamond jubilee function, she said women’s safety was too often discussed through the lens of restrictions on girls rather than accountability for boys.

“In Delhi, we frequently hear of incidents that cast doubt on the safety and security of girls. In such situations, families and society often talk about imposing restrictions. But why only on girls? What about the boys?” Gupta said.

She also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2014 Red Fort remarks. “I believe that our Prime Minister is the only leader who, back in 2014, spoke from the ramparts of the Red Fort and asked: ‘You keep lecturing girls, but when will you talk to the boys? When will you counsel the boys?’ It shouldn’t even need to be said that no means no,” Gupta said.

Park Assault Probe

The immediate trigger was the Aastha Kunj Park case. Police have stepped up their investigation into the alleged gang rape of a minor at gunpoint inside the 142-acre park near Kalkaji Temple.

The victim was a school girl who had gone to the park with a 17-year-old male friend on her 17th birthday.

Court And Police

The Supreme Court moved on Monday. It took Suo motu cognisance of the rising number of sexual assault cases against minors and women in the National Capital Region and asked Delhi Police to respond.

The court said parks, buses and roads cannot turn into “zones of high risk”. After that order, Gupta said police must close security gaps and the administration must mark out places that need lights, cameras and more security personnel.

“The administration must fulfil its duties… and ensure these tasks are executed,” she said. She also called for cases involving women and girls to be expedited by courts. “Such cases must be expedited to deliver justice swiftly, send a strong message to society, and punish the perpetrators and wrongdoers,” Gupta said.

Gupta added that she stood with the girls of the city as a woman, a mother and the chief minister. She also promised that there was no place in Delhi for fear, terror or oppression.