“Criminals Roam Free, Victims Live In Fear”: President On Women’s Safety

President Droupadi Murmu has raised concern over lack of support from the society to women survivors of targeted crimes against them.

The President’s remarks comes amid outrage across the nation over crime against women. The rape and murder of a junior doctor in a Kolkata hospital, and over a dozen cases of sexual harassment and rape filed against well-known actors in the Malayalam film industry, have sparked calls for a thorough relook at how India has been treating its women and girls.

“It is a sad aspect of our social life that even after committing a crime, the criminals roam around fearlessly. Those who are victims of their crimes live in fear as if their own thoughts have committed many crimes. The situation of women victims is even worse because even the people of society do not support them,” President Murmu said in her valedictory address at the National Conference of the District Judiciary to mark 75 years of the Supreme Court.

यह हमारे सामाजिक जीवन का एक दुखद पहलू है कि, कुछ मामलों में, साधन-सम्पन्न लोग अपराध करने के बाद भी निर्भीक और स्वच्छंद घूमते रहते हैं। जो लोग उनके अपराधों से पीड़ित होते हैं, वे डरे-सहमे रहते हैं, मानो उन्हीं बेचारों ने कोई अपराध कर दिया हो।

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) September 1, 2024

She said all stakeholders must work together to overcome the numerous challenges facing the judicial system.

“I am told that in recent times there has been improvement in the availability of timely administration, infrastructure, facilities, training, and manpower. But there is still much to be done in all these areas. I believe that there should be rapid progress in all the dimensions of reform,” she said.

“I am happy to note that the number of women in the selection committees has increased in recent years. This increase has led to a 50 per cent increase in the number of women in the selection committees,” President Murmu said.

The Supreme Court organised the two-day National Conference of the District Judiciary on August 31 and September 1; over 800 participants from the district judiciary of all states and Union Territories attended.

The President and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal called for finding a solution for the practice of deferment of court cases and to break the common perception of “tarikh par tarikh” culture.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said they have skilfully laid out an action plan for reducing case pendency through case management.

The judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justices of high courts, Secretary General of the Supreme Court, along with the Registrar Generals of high courts participated in the conference.