SC slams Madhya Pradesh for giving ‘Rs 6,500 charity’ to rape victims

New Delhi :  The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the Madhya Pradesh government, among the states which had received maximum funds from the Centre under the Nirbhaya fund, for disbursing Rs 6,000-6,500 only to each rape victim, asking whether it was doing a “charity” by giving paltry amounts.

A division bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta was shocked to know that Madhya Pradesh government had only spent around Rs one crore on 1,951 rape victims.

“Are you doing a charity? How can you do so… You value a rape at Rs 6,500?,” asked the court, adding: “this is total insensitiveness”.

The bench further slammed 24 states and union territories for not filing affidavits indicating the amount received by them under the Nirbhaya Fund towards victim compensation, amount disbursed by them under the scheme and the number of victims of sexual assault.

“In spite of all talks, discussions and intents expressed about gender justice and safety of women, we find that there are 24 states, union territories that have not even bothered to file an affidavit in terms of our order dated January 9, 2018,” said the court, asking them to file affidavits within four weeks, “if they are at all interested in looking after the welfare of women”.

After the December 16, 2012 gang-rape and murder case in Delhi, the Cenrtal government in 2013 had announced the Nirbhaya Fund scheme to support the initiatives of governments and the NGOs working for women’s safety.

The court was hearing petitions filed after the gangrape case in 2012 raising concerns over the safety and security of women.

IANS