‘Most Agra shelters keep media, activists at bay’
AGRA: Nothing could be further from the truth than to say women and girls living in ‘ashrams’, orphanages and Nari Niketans are safe from sexual attacks and harassment. Social activists here have highlighted that many of the shelter homes continue to operate without being duly registered and things are far from being satisfactory there .
Not being registered means there is no government record of the number of inmates there, no inspection and no monitoring.
“At least 11 shelter homes were found to be operating in Agra without proper registration under Juvenile Justice Act as prescribed by the Supreme Court. One can understand the state of affairs in these shelter homes, housing children above the age of 10, “said Naresh Paras, a social activist.
“Earlier, a shelter home in Agra was accused of dubious proceedings and was closed down. Most of these shelter homes do not allow visits by the media or social activists,” he complained .
“Things are no better at the Nari Niketan running in Kalindi Vihar and the then superintendent was arrested for having released 43 inmates in 2015, against the provisions of law,” he said .
“These 43 women inmates booked under the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act were handed over illegally to various people and the superintendent of State Women Protection Home was arrested,” Paras said.
Ashrams in the spiritual hub of Mathura and Vrindavan are not far behind when it comes to murky incidents.
On January 25 this year, a 30-year-old sadhu was arrested and sent to jail for allegedly stalking a devotee visiting a temple in Vrindavan.
In December 2017, a Bhagwat Acharya (religious guru) was arrested in Vrindavan for allegedly raping two women disciples from Maharashtra and blackmailing them after taking their obscene pictures and videos.
In November 2017, a Russian woman alleged rape by a bank manager in Vrindavan. They both were living together. The bank manager was taken into custody.
Dr.Laxmi Gautam, a social activist in Vrindavan, who runs ‘Kanakdhara Foundation’, expressed concern over the situation, saying that much needed to be done to make women feel safe in Braj region.