Thaindian News

Shillong, Jan 1 (IANS) A women’s organisation in the matrilineal state of Meghalaya Sunday slammed Andhra Pradesh police chief V. Dinesh Reddy for blaming women’s dressing styles for the increase in crime against them.

“We are surprised over the statement of Andhra Pradesh director general of police (DGP), that women are the main cause of rape because of the way they dress,” said Civil Society Women’s Organisation chief Agnes Kharshiing.

“What about minors? Three-year-olds and five-year-olds, what about them,” she asked, referring to the rampant rape of minors.

“He (Andhra DGP) is covering up for the laziness of cops entrusted with investigation and their connivance with the perpetrators to make money,” Kharshiing said.

Stating that most rapists did not get convicted due to faulty investigation, Kharshiing said: “There are cases where even medical reports are tampered with to help the accused and the statement of Andhra DGP only shows that his force is against women and with the perpetrators.”

Asking the National Commission for Women to take note of Reddy’s statement, the women’s group appealed to people to condemn his “unsubstantiated” remarks.

At a press conference Friday in Hyderabad, the Reddy cited provocative dresses of women as one of the reasons for the increase in rapes.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram also strongly criticised Reddy’s remarks, observing that what to wear or not to wear was a matter of individual’s choice, and there could not be any kind of policing and “certainly not by a DG of police”.