‘Kerala govt must tackle attacks on women, kids’

trivandrum — The Congress party in Kerala on Wednesday asked the state government to immediately step in and initiate a movement against the rising incidence of attacks on women and children.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala told reporters here that it is a nightmare these days to see reports of attack on women and children every day.

Chennithala said: “The present Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government rode to power promising safety of women and children, and see what the situation is in the state now.”

“In 10 months, this government has turned out to be a dismal failure and the Police Department has no clue of how to handle the increasing crimes against women and children,” he said.

In the past two weeks, numerous cases of attack on women and children were reported and the tormentors have included Christian priests, Muslim clerics, teachers and relatives of the victims.

“Keeping aside politics, we the Congress-led-opposition lend our full support to the Vijayan government to set the ball rolling for a social movement to take shape in the state and to create an awareness in the state against this menace,” said Chennithala.

Lashing out at Vijayan, who also handles the Home portfolio, Chennithala said there is total lack of coordination at the top level of the police force.

“Vijayan is unable to do anything. I also handled the Home portfolio and know what’s happening now, but since it’s not proper on my part to say about officials, I am not doing it.”

“Just look, in the past one month 13 police officials, who include sub-inspectors and circle inspectors, have been suspended and such a thing has not happened before,” said Chennithala.

Chennithala rubbished the CPM’s argument that one reason behind the increase in cases is that people in Kerala walk freely into the police stations and register complaints under the Left Front regime.

“This is a total humbug because Kerala for long is known for high reporting of cases as we have always been a very legally aware society. To cover up their (Left government’s) failures, they are just saying this,” said Chennithala. —