Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the safety of women and children is a priority for everyone in the country, but condemned every marital relationship as violent and every man as a rapist. It is also not proper to do so.
In response to the question of CPI leader Binay Vishwam on marital rape, the Union Minister said, "it's not right to call everyone a rapist." The CPI leader wanted to know whether the government has taken cognizance of domestic violence under Section 3 of the Domestic Violence Act and Section 375 of the IPC on rape.
It's not right to call everyone a rapist
Irani said, 'I want to say that in this country it is not proper in this respected house to condemn every marriage as a violent marriage, and every person as a rapist.'
Case is pending in court
The Union Minister said that senior members are aware that under Rule 47 of the Procedure in Rajya Sabha, discussion on matters pending before the Court is prohibited.
Government's effort to give security to all
She said that the effort of the Central Government in collaboration with the State Governments is to provide security to women in the country. Presently 30 helplines are operational across the country, which have helped more than 66 lakh women. Apart from this, 703 'One Stop Centres' are also working in the country, from where more than five lakh women have been helped so far.
Will the government keep the figures in the parliament
Vishwam said that he never meant that every man is a rapist. At the same time, he also questioned whether the government would collect data on this issue and put it in Parliament at the earliest.