Memo submitted to Delhi CM urging safety of northeast women

A civil society delegation on Friday submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, demanding safety of northeastern women in the capital.

The delegation represented several local NGOs including the North East Support Centre & Helpline which demanded that the government assert accountability of all workplaces and develop stricter safety guidelines.

The meeting comes in the wake of a recent gang rape case of a 30-year-old BPO employee in the capital.

"We have submitted a list of demands to make Delhi a safe city," said Lansinglu Rongmei, Legal Secretary of All India Christian Council and president of North East Support Centre & Helpline.

Madhu Chandra, spokesperson of North East Support Centre & Helpline says, "Delhi police must now learn a lesson to be proactive than reactive in tackling the issues of safety for women."

"As long as Delhi Police and government machineries remain in reactive mode, crimes like the Dhaula Kuan gang rape will continue to happen."

Chandra said the "steps taken by Delhi Police to launch night police patrolling in unsafe areas, setting up CCTV cameras and instructing BPO companies to follow safety guidelines must be monitored round the weeks, months and years."

Following the meeting on Friday, Chief Minister Dikshit called for another meeting with the delegation and the Delhi Police on Saturday.

During the meeting it was decided that the Delhi police will popularise its women helpline number 1091 by painting it on auto-rickshaws and new DTC buses.

Deputy Commissioner of Delhi, in-charge of South Delhi, HGS Daliwal was also met with and briefed on how North East India communities, particularly girls are easily targeted in Delhi.

The representatives of North East Support Centre & Helpline, Jagori, Saheli, Nirantar and North East Network also suggested speedy trial on day-to-day basis in cases related to assault on women.

Police have arrested four persons in connection with the gang rape incident which took place in Dhaula Kuan in the early hours of November 24.