HYDERABAD: The salwar strom raised by director-general of police V Dinesh Reddy has attracted the wrath of the National Commission for Women (NCW). Astounded by his bizzare explanation that fashionably dressed women run the risk of rape, the commission’s chairperson Mamata Sharma said Saturday she will write a letter to Union home minister P Chidambaram to pull up the DGP and ensure that no police officer sounds off so irresponsibly ever again.
‘’Sixty-five years after gaining freedom, how can someone tell women what they should wear? The salwar kameez is a most graceful dress worn by Punjabis, Muslims, Hindus and millions of women all over the country. How can it be described as provocative,” she said.
Speaking to Express on the telephone from New Delhi, Sharma said, “I am going to write to Mr Chidambaram early next week. The DGP’s statements are immature.’’ The NCW chairperson also took issue with Dinesh Reddy’s attempt to disown any role for the police in preventing rape. ‘’The police are a responsible agency. It is their responsibility to ensure that women feel safe. How can the DGP say he has no control over rapes,’’ she asked.
The DGP’s statement, Sharma said, was reflective of the popular male perception that women dressing well tend to provoke sex criminals. “Not just the DGP, men in general should change their attitude towards women,” she remarked.
Asked whether she would write to the state government as well, Sharma replied that there was no need for that as the matter is being taken up with the union home minister.