Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Saturday expressed concern over increasing violations of women’s safety and dignity in the country.

Stating that India was a country of contrasts, the Speaker said: “In theory, women have been given an exalted position (in India). But in practice, she is given the lowest position. There is a threat to their security, dignity.” She was here to address an interactive session on empowerment of people and rising violence in the country, organised by the MCC Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Social change

According to Meira Kumar, there was need for “social change” first, since creating laws cannot be the only answer to the problems in the society. “Can any law be more powerful than the society and the way the society thinks?” she asked.

Despite having a law in place , cases of domestic violence have not stopped as the mindsets have not changed, Kumar said. “In the case of the Nirbhaya incident in Delhi in December last year, Parliament unanimously passed a resolution and existing laws were made stringent. But, it has not stopped… The society must change,” she added.

“Being the first woman Speaker, I was asked whether I would be able to perform. I said the Speaker’s job is gender-neutral – I think any job is gender-neutral,” she pointed out.

Tehelka controversy

Responding to media queries on the Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal’s alleged sexual harassment of a woman colleague, Kumar said: “Anything where the dignity and security of women is compromised is something of great concern and it should not happen…I think law should take its own course and whatever needs to be done, according to law, must be done expeditiously.”

She added that all the workplaces should form committees to deal with complaints of sexual harassment cases of employees following the guidelines recommended by the Visakha judgment of 1997.

> ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in

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