Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dedicated some parts of his Independence Day speech to reassure people of Karnataka that his Government was committed to the safety of women and children.
Siddaramaiah assured the citizens that his Government would deal with such incidents and also prevent such incidents. In his speech he said his Government is committed to stop such incidents and they would be dealt with “mercilessly”.
In his Independence Day address on Friday at the Parade Grounds, he said his Government had brought necessary legislation to prevent such incidents (in reference to recent incidents of rapes across the State which evoked strong protests across the State).
He added, “In the recent past, there have been disturbing incidents of atrocities on women. Our Government is committed to prevent such incidents by tightening up existing legislations.”
“Miscreants who ill-treat women and commit atrocities on them would be mercilessly dealt with and police have been instructed to act strictly,” he assured the people.
Siddaramaiah said that to deal with such crimes his Government had amended existing goonda act and 10 special courts have been set up for speedy trial. The Chief Minister who faced the wrath of the people for many rape incidents, said he had made respective schools responsible for such incidents and his Government was committed to provide security to girl students.
He said, “be it Government or private school, the institution is responsible for safety of children till they leave the school premises.”
“All school managements have been told to ensure proper antecedents of both non-teaching and teaching staff before recruiting them for service,” he added.
Siddaramaiah also announced that special women treatment units would be set up in all 30 district hospitals and five hospitals in Bangalore City to provide treatment, legal and financial assistance to women who become target of such atrocities. According to Chief Minister a children’s fund would be created with an amount of Rs25 lakh to provide emergency relief to children who become target of such atrocities.
The gang-rape of a six-year-old girl in an upmarket school in Bangalore and spates of incidents of rape and atrocities against women have induced strong protests against Siddaramaiah led Congress Government in Karnataka.