Navratri awareness drive for kids, women safety post Hathras shocker in UP

The drive aims to disseminate information on laws protecting women and kids and other measures taken for their safety to instil confidence in the vulnerable section.

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to hold a special awareness and empowerment drive for women and children between October 17 and 25, coinciding with the Shardiya Navratri, which celebrates victory of goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, symbolising the victory of good over evil.

Uttar Pradesh government has initiated this drive amid questions raised over security of women in the state after the alleged Hathras gang rape incident . (PTI Photo)

The drive has been announced in the backdrop of the uproar over a 19-year old Dalit woman’s alleged gang-rape and murder in Hathras. The state government has since set up a special investigating team (SIT), recommended investigation by CBI and arrested all the four accused.

Additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Awasthi said the special awareness drive will aim to boost the morale of women and children and empower them by making them aware of their rights. The idea is to also highlight the state government’s sensitivity in handling cases related to them while ensuring the strictest action against the culprits.

Awasthi said that along with the director general of police Hitesh Chandra Awasthi, he held a meeting to prepare an outline for the drive. He said that additional DG (Women Power Line-1090) Neera Rawat made a presentation on carrying out the drive successfully.

“For wider reach of this special awareness drive, 11 other departments like medical education, technical education, vocational education, higher education, basic education, secondary education, labour, employment exchange, Panchayati Raj, rural development and information and public relations department have also been roped in for this nine-day campaign,” the ACS emphasised.

He added that rights and laws related to women and children will be publicised through police stations and other government departments; posters will also be put up at different schools, colleges, universities and other training centres and at Panchayats, where women’s involvement is in large numbers in urban as well as rural areas.

A senior police official said that workshops will be organised to make women and children aware of security measures to keep them safe and to sensitise them to speak out when they are victimised instead of keeping quiet.