New Delhi: Launching a sharp attack on the BJP-led Union Government over women’s safety, the All India Mahila Congress on Friday cited National Crime Records Bureau, NCRB, data to allege a steep rise in crimes against women during the past decade and accused the ruling party of providing “political protection” to accused in rape and sexual assault cases.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in the national capital, AIMC president Alka Lamba claimed NCRB statistics from 2014 to 2024 exposed the reality behind slogans such as “Beti Bachao” and “Nari Vandan.” She said the figures exposed what she described as the BJP’s poor record on women’s safety.
Quoting NCRB figures, Lamba alleged that more than 42.85 lakh women registered complaints related to rape, sexual assault and other crimes against women during the last ten years.
“These are not numbers. These are women seeking justice, many of whom spent years moving from court to court,” she said.
According to Lamba, crimes against women increased steadily under BJP rule. She claimed that around 3.4 lakh cases were registered in 2014, while the figure reached nearly 4.42 lakh in 2024. Referring to NCRB data for 2023, she alleged that more than 4.48 lakh women and girls lodged complaints of rape, sexual harassment and related offences in a single year.
“Every 70 minutes, a woman or girl is allegedly raped in this country,” she alleged.
Lamba attacked the BJP over the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case and claimed the “Gujarat model” promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become a model of leniency toward those convicted in gang rape cases. She alleged that convicted rapists were receiving parole, remission or protection.
The AIMC chief singled out BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, alleging that they recorded among the highest complaints related to crimes against women. She questioned how many accused in rape and POCSO cases had been convicted or awarded capital punishment.
Lamba also referred to recent alleged gang rape cases in Bihar and Uttarakhand. She accused BJP governments of failing to protect victims and alleged that police pressure and forced compromises prevented many cases from reaching the FIR stage.
She further claimed Delhi remained the “most unsafe metro city for women” and expressed concern over cyber harassment and circulation of alleged AI-generated morphed images targeting women MPs.
Demanding a detailed debate during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, Lamba said rising crimes and low conviction rates were emboldening criminals.
By Abdul Bari Masoud
