Gandhinagar
(Gujarat), October 10: In a shocking revelation, as per data, there was a rise
of 40% in cases of rapes during the four-year period of 2016 to 2019 in Gujarat.
Likewise, incidents of gang rapes have also quadrupled, during the last five
years in the state (from 2016 to 2020).
Data shows that
the vibrant state of Gujarat, the model state presented to the rest of the
country, is also quite vibrant when it comes to crimes committed against women.
Crime against the weaker sex has constantly been on the rise in the BJP ruled
vibrant state!
Under the
able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who coined the slogan 'Beti
Bachao, Beti Padhao', Gujarat is often presented as a model state, where women
are safer than in the rest of the country. However, facts and figures belie the
claim; that too according to the data collated and presented officially.
In an answer
to a question by Geniben Thakor, Congress MLA from Vav constituency, the
Gujarat Chief Minister who also holds the home portfolio, informed the state
assembly that there were a total of 8317 cases of rapes registered between
October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2020, with Gujarat Police. This means that around
4 to 5 rapes were committed every day in this small state (population-wise)
during the five-year period.
Between October
1, 2015, to September 30, 2016, a total number of 1382 crimes against women were
committed. Next year, 1480 cases were registered (a 7% rise over the previous
year) and in the year after, 1765 cases were registered – a whopping 19% rise in
cases. From October 2018 to September 2019, 1936 cases of rapes were registered,
which is another 10% increase from 17/18. The next year i.e. October 2019 to
September 2020 saw a marginal dip with only 1754 cases being registered. Many
experts attribute this dip to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns because of
it.
The maximum number
of cases were reported from the financial capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad – a whopping
1261 during this five-year period. The second was Surat with 899 cases. And
followed by Bhavnagar with 432 cases, Rajkot reported 409 cases and Vadodara registered
343 cases.
During the
same five-year period, the number of incidents of gang rapes has quadrupled in
Gujarat. 11 cases of gang rapes were reported in October 2015 - September 2016,
the next year saw 19 such cases and in year 17/18 the number of gang rapes
jumped to 25. From October 2018 to September 2019, 36 cases of gang rapes came
to light, and from October 2019 to September 2020 - 40 cases of heinous sexual
crimes against women were committed in Gujarat.