Crime against women rising in Assam, says Irani

A Correspondent

lbari, Dec 28: A day after being the target of a shameful, misogynistic remark by a senior Congress MLA in Assam, Union HRD minister Smriti Irani today came down heavily on the Congress government for "failing to protect women and their dignity". But the Union minister did not make any direct reference to the purported derogatory remark.

Addressing a BJP workers' rally here, where Congress leader Nilomoni Sen Deka had made the remark yesterday, Irani alleged that crimes against women have steadily increased in the State during the 15 year Congress rule.

"Over 75,000 cases of crimes against women have been registered in the State in last 10 years," she said.

Referring to the clash between BJP and Congress workers in front of Rajiv Bhavan in Guwahati this forenoon and the police action against BJP workers who tried to gherao the Congress office, Irani said the crackdown smacked of the government's indifferent attitude towards anyone hurling insult on women.

She said, "The police action was against BJP workers who were protesting against insult to women. I urge BJP workers to reply at the booth level by helping bring about a 'Congress-mukt' Assam."

The Human Resource Development minister listed the developmental works of the BJP government at the Centre under Prime Minister rendra Modi and said the "under-development of Northeast during 60 years of Congress rule can be reversed only by the BJP".

"Tarun Gogoi had been ruling the State for the last fifteen years. Why is it then that we still have to talk about lacking basic amenities? Why are there no doctors and medicines in hospitals?" she asked, slamming the Congress' "misrule".

A controversy had erupted yesterday after former Congress minister Nilomoni Sen Deka had snidely commented in a party rally in lbari that 'Irani is termed Modi's second wife in some quarters'.