Dowry deaths, attempts to rape, harassment of women on rise, Vij raises concern over ‘Love-Jihad’

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 6

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Though dowry deaths, attempt to rape, harassment of women at public places, and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act and Dowry Prohibition Act cases, have risen in Haryana this year despite lockdown for months, Home Minister Anil Vij raised concern over ‘Love-Jihad’ on Friday during a discussion on calling attention notice on Nitika Tomar’s murder case.

Tomar, a resident of Faridabad, was shot dead outside her college on October 26, after a failed kidnapping bid by Taufiq, a resident of Gurugram, and Rehan, a resident of Nuh.

Replying to the discussion, Vij said, “I have directed to investigate this case from the angle of ‘Love-Jihad’. There have been complaints of first trapping in love and then forcing for change of religion. I have asked to collect data on the change of religion after marriage and whether couples are living peacefully after that, since the date of formation of Haryana.”

He added, “We have to see whether it is an organised crime. We have to bring a law on ‘Love-Jihad’. Anyone can marry anyone. Anyone can fall in love with anyone. But not on the pretext of changing other’s religion.”

He said, “Taufiq belongs to a political family. In 2018, he attempted to kidnap her and an FIR was registered. But it was taken back due to pressure. He is a relative of one of the members of this House.”

Vij assured the House that Tomar’s family would get protection and challan in the case would be presented in a day or two.

He also presented data on Crime Against Women in the state, which reflected that there is a fall of 17 per cent in cases from January 1 to September 30 when compared with cases in the corresponding period of 2019.

However, there have been 217 dowry deaths in the state till September 30, which reflects a rise of 4.3 per cent over the last year.

There is 22.2 per cent rise in attempt to rape cases as 209 FIRs have been registered till September 30 this year. There is rise of 5.8 per cent in cases of harassment of women at public places as 183 FIRs have been registered.

The PNDT Act cases have witnessed a jump of 64.3 per cent as 23 FIRs have been registered till September 30.

There were 12 cases of Dowry Prohibition Act till September 30, 2019, which has risen to 16 this year, a rise of 33.3 per cent.

There is a fall of 11.4 per cent in rape cases, 10.8 per cent in molestation and 23.1 per cent in kidnapping of women.

INLD leader Abhay Chautala pointed out that ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ had started from Haryana but cases of crime against women had risen in the state. He called for providing protection to women students and said that such crimes shouldn’t be connected with religion.

Congress MLA Neeraj Sharma pointed out lack of transportation facility for women students and called for police protection outside colleges.