New Delhi: The number of rape cases registered has "dramatically" increased since 2013 which is a matter of "deep concern", government told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and exuded confidence that the steps being taken to deal with the issue will take effect.
"We have initiated a lot of steps which I cannot count.... But the fact remains that the number of cases registered with rape charges is increasing, and it is a very deep concern for the government," Minister of State for Home Affairs Kirien Rijiju said.
"The only point I wish to make here is that the number of cases has dramatically risen since the year 2013," he said noting that it was the time when a new section was inserted in the IPC making it mandatory for police officials to register a case when complaint of sexual assault is made.
He said because of this, one can see a "substantive jump" in the number of rape cases. "But we are not happy with showing larger number of cases being registered. But the question is: How is the issue to be tackled? I can assure .. that we are taking all the steps very, very seriously and following the implementation of all the directions also," the Minister said.
He asserted that the concern for women is not the priority only of this government but it has to be the priority of any government, "and steps being taken, I am sure, in the days to come, would take effect."
In a written reply to a query on whether government has developed some strategy to make Delhi and NCR safe for women where rape incidents had been increasing, the Home Ministry said government was deeply concerned about the menace and has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to counter it.
The strategy includes various legislative measures to strengthen the legal regime from the point of view of safety of women. The government has taken at least a dozen of measures including setting up women help-desk in each police station, increasing the number of telephone lines in the Helpline and keeping vigil on vulnerable routes.
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