Government asked to set up Gender Sensitive Committee

NEW DELHI: Parliament has enacted a law providing for establishment of gender sensitivity committees at all workplaces but itself does not have any such panel, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said in Rajya Sabha today.

His remark prompted Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to say government should "act" on the suggestion as early as possible.

Yechury raised the issue during Zero Hour when a mention was made about the persisting crimes against women.

"In Parliament we are not implementing laws we passed," Yechury said while asking why the Gender Sensitive Committee provided under the law to protect women at workplaces did not exist in Parliament.

Responding to the point raised by Yechury, Kurien said it was valid. "I would like the government to act on it as early as possible," Kurien said.

Yechury was speaking after Rajni Patil (Cong) voiced concern over incidents of rape and other crimes against the women.

Patil said incidents like what happened in Badaun had led to uproar and also spoke of the need for more sensitive attitude towards victims of such crimes.

She said people often pass insensitive remarks blaming incidents like rape on the clothes that women wear.