Lucknow-In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's assertions about women's safety face scrutiny as recently released data from the National Commission for Women (NCW) for the year 2023 exposes a grim reality. Of the total complaints regarding crimes against women received by the NCW nationwide, a staggering 55 percent, or 16,109 complaints, originate from Uttar Pradesh alone.

According to a report in the Times of India, the NCW received a total of 28,811 complaints related to crimes against women in 2023. These include 8,540 complaints under the right to dignity and decency, 6,274 complaints of domestic violence, 4,797 complaints of dowry harassment, 2,349 complaints of mental exploitation, 1,618 complaints of rape, and 1,537 complaints of attempted rape. Additionally, there were 805 complaints of sexual harassment, 605 of cybercrime, and 409 of honour crimes.

The data reveals that Uttar Pradesh leads in crimes against women, with Delhi ranking second and Maharashtra third. Uttar Pradesh reported 16,109 complaints, Delhi reported 2,411, and Maharashtra reported 1,343. Other states with significant numbers include Madhya Pradesh (11,155), Bihar (1,312), Haryana (1,011), Rajasthan (608), Tamil Nadu (569), West Bengal (569), and Karnataka (501).

The NCW had received 30,864 complaints from across the country in 2022, marking the highest figure since 2014.

In the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for 2022, Uttar Pradesh again claims the top spot in the country for crimes against women. The report indicates 65,743 cases registered in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra (45,331) and Rajasthan (45,058). Uttar Pradesh also held the highest position in 2021 with 56,083 cases. The NCRB report for 2022 recorded a total of 445,256 crime cases against women in the country, a four percent increase from the 2021 figure of 428,278 cases. Most cases involve assault by husbands or their relatives, followed by cases of kidnapping and rape.

The Mooknayak spoke to Madhu Garg of AIDWA regarding the report. She highlighted a recent incident at Banaras Hindu University, emphasizing that the caste, religion, and political affiliation of the accused often hinder the proper enforcement of the law. Garg stated, "The girl identified the criminals, but due to their affiliation with the BJP, they were not arrested and even went to Madhya Pradesh for election campaigning. They were only arrested under significant public pressure. This secrecy in handling the case raises concerns about the commitment of the ruling party and the police to addressing crimes against women."

Ruprekha Verma, a social worker from Lucknow, criticized the government's claims that crime has ended in Uttar Pradesh. She questioned, "If crime has truly ended, why are we witnessing an increase in crimes against women?" Verma attributed this rise to the government's focus on protecting religion and culture over ensuring women's safety. She noted instances where the government took action against criminals only when public pressure mounted.

Also Read-