Lok Sabha Question No. 1060 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-24
Subject: Crime against Dalits
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: HARISH CHANDRA MEENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1060

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24 th  JULY, 2018/SHRAVANA 2, 1940 (SAKA)

CRIME AGAINST DALITS

1060.

SHRI HARISH MEENA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of cases of crime and atrocities registered against women and Dalits in the country during the last four years;

(b)  whether  it  a  fact  that  the  number  of  such  incidents  are  rising  over  the years;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to make changes in the present law and adopt new strategies to control such incidents in the future; and

(e) if so, the details thereof ?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a) to (c): The data does not show any such trend.  As per the latest available published information with National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the details of cases registered under total crimes against women and Scheduled Castes from 2013 to 2016 is as below:

| Cases registered        | 2013   | 2014   | 2015   | 2016   |
|-------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| Crime against women     | 309546 | 339457 | 329243 | 338954 |
| Crime against Scheduled | 39408  | 40401  | 38670  | 40801  |
| Castes                  |        |        |        |        |

Latest published data is available for the year 2016.

(d) & (e): The  Scheduled  Castes  and  the  Scheduled  Tribes  (Prevention  of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (PoA,  Act) has been  amended in 2015  to make  it more

## LS.US.Q.NO.1060 FOR 24.07.2018

effective. The amendments include new offences, re-phrased existing sections, expanded scope of presumptions, institutional strengthening which inter-alia includes establishment of Exclusive Special Courts and specification of Exclusive Special Public Prosecutors to exclusively try the offences under the PoA, Act to enable expeditious disposal of cases, power of Special Courts and Exclusive Special Courts to take direct cognizance of offence and as far as possible, completion of trial within two months from the date of filing of the charge sheet, establishing rights of victims and witnesses, and strengthening preventive measures.

Several steps have been taken for increasing safety of women, which include, inter-alia:

i.  The  Criminal  Law  (Amendment)  Ordinance,  2018  prescribes  stringent punishment  against  rapes,  including  death  penalty  for  offence  of  rape  and gang rape as a woman below age of 12 years.

ii.  Government  has  undertaken  a  project  for  developing  an  Emergency Response Support System based on a Pan-India 24X7 Helpline Number 112, which is accessible through call/SMS/email/panic button etc.

iii. Government  has  issued  advisories  to States/UTs  to take  measures for prevention of crimes against women, mandatory registration of FIRs, providing on-line complaint filing system, increasing representation of women in Police,

## LS.US.Q.NO.1060 FOR 24.07.2018

gender sensitization of police, deployment of Special Mahila Police Volunteers,  activating  victim  compensation  fund,  setting  up  of  Anti-human Trafficking  units,  etc.  Details  of  these  advisories  issued  are  available  on website of Ministry of Home Affairs at https://mha.gov.in.

iv.  A  separate  portal  for  Cyber-Crime  against  women  and  children  has  been commenced.

v.  In  order  to  facilitate  better  investigation  and  prosecution  in  rape  cases, modernization and capacity building of forensic labs has been undertaken.

vi.  Government  has  approved  safe-city  projects  for  8  cities  to  put  in  place comprehensive infrastructure, technological and community based interventions for women safety.

vii.  Government  has  commenced  development  of  a  National  Database  on Sexual Offenders to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country.

'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the  Constitution  of  India.  The  responsibilities  to  maintain  law  and  order, protection of life and property of the citizens rest primarily with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offences  under  the  extant  provisions  of  laws.  Recently  Ministry  of  Home Affairs has issued advisories in this regard, which are available at