leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Ajay Bhatt on Monday slammed the State Government for its alleged nonchalance regarding the plight of inmates of Nari Niketan, the State-run shelter home for the distressed women, which has been hogging adverse limelight now with inmates either dying or falling ill at regular intervals.
Notably, two inmates have died in a span of two days and four more have been admitted at the Doon Hospital after they were found ill on Monday.
Before this, the home came up into the collective critical glare after a hearing and speech impaired inmate was found to have been raped and forced to abort her foetus.
Bhatt alleged the State Government was intent on shielding the big fishes supposedly involved in the rape and abortion case. “It is thus apathetic towards the predicament of the wretched women staying there under the Government’s protection. It is unfortunate,” said the BJP leader, adding that he would request the Central Government-run agencies like National Women Commission to visit Uttarakhand and conduct a fair inquiry into the issues related to Nari Niketan.
He said things were now crystal clear, given the grim procession of deaths and the number of inmates being found ill, that the officers responsible for protecting them are not doing their jobs effectively. “The Government cannot shirk its responsibility of ensuring health, security and normal life of the inmates enrolled in the Nari Niketan,” he said.
Bhatt said he had written letters to the Chief Minister regarding the matter, however, State Government has chosen to maintain a stony silence raised in the letter. “We are sure the State Government is not at all serious over the grim happenings befalling the home,” the BJP leader said.
Taking a dig at the CM announcing probe and promising follow-up action with fanfare, Bhatt said it just amounts to skimming the surface without getting into the bottom of the matter. “Punishing one or two of the staffers would not end the crisis,” he said.
Bhatt also expressed surprise over the State Women Commission sitting idle. “They should have already initiated a probe on its part to unravel things,” he said. “This apathy is, however, natural, given the fact that they are their political axes to grind. How can they spare time to the hapless women dying and falling ill at regular intervalsIJ” he asked.