India Independence Day: Modi condemns violence against women
August 15, 2024
Thousands of people took to the streets of Indian cities overnight on Wednesday to demand better safety for women following the rape and murder of a young doctor that has sparked nationwide protests.
Demonstrations have escalated since the body of a 31-year-old trainee doctor was first found in a hospital in Kolkata last week, with police saying she had been raped and murdered.
Wednesday's marches, during which protesters held up banners calling to "reclaim the night," led into Thursday morning, coinciding with India's 78th Independence Day.
Local media reported that vandals damaged property at the hospital where the medic was killed during overnight protests. They broke through police barricades and pelted stones at police officers, eyewitnesses said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched on the topic of violence against women during his address to the nation on Thursday, without commenting on the case specifically.
What did Prime Minister Modi say about violence against women?
"As a society, we have to think about the atrocities being committed against our mothers, daughters and sisters. There is outrage against this in the country. I can feel this outrage," the Indian leader said.
"Crimes against women should be quickly investigated; monstrous behavior against women should be severely and quickly punished," he added.
"That is essential for creating deterrence and confidence in the society."
Bollywood actor says 'nothing much has changed' since 2012 Delhi bus rape and murder
Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt also commented on the brutal rape and murder in an Instagram post, saying: "This horrific incident has once again reminded us that women disproportionately bear the weight of ensuring their own safety."
She said the protests — as have many others who have shared their thoughts on social media platforms — brought back memories of a similar case that sparked widespread outrage in 2012 when a student was raped and killed by a gang of men on a moving bus in New Delhi.
"It's been over a decade," Bhatt said, "but still nothing much has changed."
The latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that crimes against women rose 4% in 2022 over the previous year.
ab/rm (AFP, Reuters)