National Capital, is still the most unsafe city when it comes to the security of working women and college girls. “I generally don’t face problems, but as soon as it gets dark, I sense continuous fear and insecurity reigning over my mind,” says Aastha Shiva, a student of JNU pursuing PhD in Sanskrit studies.
Despite the setting up of judicial committee post Nirbhaya incident, the Government has hardly taken any measures to ensure women safety in the capital. The situation near Munirka bus stop where the incident took place is still worrisome.
Prerna, a school teacher who teaches in Gyan Kutir says that many a times, during the night, she is scared to come to the Munirka bus stand as the place becomes quite dangerous for women after 10 pm. When asked about the deployment of any police personnel around that place she told The Pioneer that she has never witnessed any police constable around that area. Situated in the vicinity of Munirka village, the bus stand still evokes fear among girls and women.
On December 12, 2012 a fatal rape incident had taken place in Munirka, a neighbourhood in South Delhi, when a 23-year-old female physio-therapy intern, Jyoti Singh was raped and tortured to death while she was travelling in private bus with her friend. The issue garnered national and international attention because of its gravity. There was widespread criticism that the Government had to face over the inadequate attention paid to the women safety in the capital city. Despite the claims of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the deployment of women constables and establishment of fast track trial courts, nothing much has happned on the ground.
‘Once I was travelling by bus, a middle aged man who was sitting beside me started watching some videos and touching me inappropriately and when I protested and raised my voice against him, I was shocked to see that no one else came to my support and it was at that time that I realised that other than the implementation of laws, what is also required is the general awareness and change in the prejudices of the general public says, Prakriti, a student from University of Delhi.
When asked about improvement in the situation of the city in the last 4 years, Nishtha Sahoo, a student of Symbiosis law School, Pune said that she finds Delhi the most unsafe of all. Conditions haven’t improved even a bit in the city, or maybe have worsened for that matter, she said.