Government on Wednesday set up a
Commission of Inquiry to identify lapses and fix responsibility in the
gang-rape of 23-year-old girl in Delhi, an issue
that was discussed by the Union Cabinet
with ministers expressing concern over the incident. The one-person
Commission, to be headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Usha
Mehra, will also suggest measures to make Delhi and NCR safer for women.
It will submit within three months its report which will be tabled in
Parliament along with action taken by the government. The decision was
taken at the meeting which was briefed by Home Minister Sushilkumar
Shinde on the December 16 incident that shocked the nation and triggered
widespread protests. At the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, several ministers expressed anguish at the incident and said the
government should walk the extra mile to ensure recovery of the victim
and instil a sense of safety among women. While announcing the decision
to set up the Commission, Finance Minister P Chidambaram appealed to
public to believe that steps are being taken to find lasting solution to
the problem that has plagued all metropolitan cities. The Commission
will be in addition to the three-member Committee headed by former Chief
Justice of India J S Verma which is to suggest amendments in law to
provide for quicker trial and more stringent punishment in aggravated
sexual assault cases amid demands for death penalty. Sharing public
anger over the brutal incident, Chidambaram said it was a matter of
shame that the incident happened in Delhi and the Central government has
special responsibility. It is a shame. As a man, I feel ashamed. All of
you here in this room should also feel ashamed. Why do men behave like
this? We acknowledge the public anger and recognise it, Chidambaram said
at the press conference addressed jointly with Information and
Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari.
On allegations by Delhi Chief
Minister Sheila Dikshit that Delhi Police officers had interfered in the
process of recording of statement of the rape victim, Chidambaram said
the Home Minister told Cabinet that an internal probe by a senior
officer has been ordered into it. Meanwhile, the statement of the victim
has been recorded afresh as per the legal procedures. He refused to
comment on the confrontation between Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit
and Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar over developments surrounding
recording of statement of the victim. I don't know what happened at the
recording of statement... We have the word of the Chief Minister and we
have the word of the Commissioner of Police... Please exercise
restraint, wait for a few days till the result of inquiry comes,
Chidambaram said. Asked whether the victim could be taken abroad for
treatment, he said she is not in a condition to move but it all depends
on doctors. Referring to protests witnessed on Rajpath over last few
days, Chidambaram expressed sadness that the life of a constable S C
Tomar had been lost while performing his duty and maintaining law and
order. He said serious criminal charges have been slapped in the case
and the matter is under investigation. To a contention that Tomar had
not died because of violence and there should be independent probe as
police version is suspect, the minister said the post-mortem report had
not yet been shared with the government. He, however, maintained that
the investigation into the death would be done by police only as it is
its right which cannot and should not be taken away. He also expressed
apology if any media person was harassed or beaten up while police was
controlling the protests.
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