DCW chief appeals MPs to raise issue of women's safety in Parliament

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday appealed to all women MPs to raise the issue of women safety in Parliament.

In a letter addressed to them, Maliwal says: "I appeal to you that being a woman Member of Parliament, please raise these demands in the Parliament: Nirbhaya convicts should be hanged immediately."

"Ensure that the rapists are hanged in six months, the laws should be amended, the discharge of the case and all appeals, the time limit of the all other recourses including Mercy Petition should be fixed in the law for maximum six months. Nothing will change until the time limit is mentioned in the law," she further states in the letter.

"Adequate police personnel should be provided to all the state police of the country. There is still a shortage of 66,000 policemen in Delhi for the last 13 years. The Ministry of Home Affairs should immediately provide 66,000 personnel to Delhi Police, there is a huge shortage of fast track courts in the country. Many districts either do not have fast track courts or even if they have, it is inferior to normal courts. Therefore, there should be adequate courts in all districts. There is a need for at least 45 more courts in Delhi, which should be built immediately," adds the DCW chief.

She further demanded that the Nirbhaya fund, which was formed years ago should be distributed among the states immediately and used to strengthen the mechsms necessary for women's safety. Police accountability should be fixed. She said that it is important that software is developed immediately and police accountability should be decided by other means also.

"In case you are unable to raise these issues in the Parliament, I would request you to join thousands of women and girls here at Rajghat who are protesting for a safer country. I hope you will not rest till a strong system to ensure the safety of women and girls is put in place," she added.

( With inputs from ANI )