Crime against women a blot on the country: Seer

PRAYAGRAJ: Prominent seers of the country plan to highlight the issue of increasing incidents of rape and sexual abuse in the country at the Kumbh Mela set to be held in Haridwar in 2022.

The issue will be raised after a deliberation at a specially convened meeting to be held at the mega religious fair on the banks of the Ganga wherein the seers plan to formally condemn these incidents.

“The saints will also be stressing on the need of inculcating the right values among the country’s younger lot on the occasion,” said Mahant Narendra Giri, chief of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP)— the apex decision-making body of the 13 recognised monastic orders of the country.

He said much disturbed over the incidents of rapes that compelled people to stage protests all over the nation, the holy men plan to also raise the issue at a meeting in soon-to-start Magh Mela-2020 in Prayagraj and discuss steps that the society can take to stem these incidents.

“Such incidents are a blot on the country and the holy men like their fellow citizens are greatly disturbed. Violent crimes against women have been in the spotlight in India since 2012, when the fatal gang rape of a young woman aboard a moving bus in Delhi prompted hundreds of thousands to take to the streets to demand stricter rape laws,” the seer said.

“Now the incident in Hyderabad has shocked everyone. Amidst national outrage over such incidents, we want to appeal to all to do their bit in stopping such incidents and urge parents to also inculcate the right values in their children,” he added.

The ABAP chief said they had also gone tough against the holy men bringing the seers’ community into disrepute by their action through issuing lists of fake saints besides expelling many accused of such acts from the community.

“It is time for countrymen to unite against these heinous acts that are shaming the society and extend support to efforts being taken by the government to fight these crimes,” Giri added.