Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated on Wednesday that ensuring women’s safety should not involve curtailing their freedom, emphasizing the crucial need to educate boys equally on respect, responsibility, and consent.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the Delhi Government is actively enhancing security in public areas through the installation of 50,000 CCTV cameras and one lakh streetlights.
The Chief Minister made these remarks while interacting with students at Maitreyi College during the “Yuva Manthan: Tradition and Progress” programme, held as part of the institution’s diamond jubilee celebrations.
“Instead of restricting daughters, we must build a society where they can move forward without fear,” Gupta asserted. She elaborated that dictating women’s attire, their destinations, or their return times should not be the sole strategy for guaranteeing their safety.
“When daughters are given several do’s and don’ts in the name of safety, boys must also be taught, with equal seriousness, about respect, responsibility, behaviour and consent,” Gupta said. She underscored the principle that “a no means no,” and upholding this boundary is a universal responsibility.
The Chief Minister further noted that women frequently prioritize familial and societal obligations but should also be empowered from a young age to safeguard themselves, make informed career choices, and pursue their ambitions. She encouraged students to establish clear goals and pursue them with unwavering confidence.
Gupta articulated that the responsibility for women’s safety is a collective one, encompassing families, educational institutions, the broader society, law enforcement, the administration, and the government. She stressed the importance of enabling girls to voice concerns against injustice or inappropriate conduct without fear of societal or institutional reprisal, and insisted that their complaints must be treated with due seriousness.
She highlighted that the mere creation of rules is insufficient, stressing that their effective implementation on the ground is of equal importance. The Chief Minister added that women’s freedom and safety should not be perceived as being in opposition to each other.
In her address, Gupta also pointed out the necessity of improving facilities at Maitreyi College, suggesting that the institution would benefit from a modern, well-equipped auditorium to serve as a platform for students to engage in cultural, academic, and creative pursuits.
The Chenab Times News Desk