New Delhi, September 2: Former IPS officer Kiren Bedi has expressed strong concerns regarding a recent gang rape incident on a sleeper bus in Delhi. She emphasized the need for improved prevention measures, driver verification, and stricter enforcement to combat crimes against women.
In a conversation, Bedi stated, “Every incident has two aspects – prevention and response. Prevention means such incidents should not occur, and then comes the response. What is the root cause of this crime? What leads to inappropriate behavior towards a woman in a moving bus? Until we address the root of this issue, it will continue to trouble us. This problem originates from family upbringing and how boys are raised. We all desire to have sons, but what kind of sons? Responsible ones or predators? This is crucial.”
She further remarked, “Prevention is the responsibility of families. Parents are involved in raising children. While having children is your right, nurturing them properly is your duty. If you neglect this duty, you endanger other people’s daughters.”
Bedi also highlighted the importance of employment and verification processes. “When hiring someone, do we check their background? Take transport drivers, for instance. We talk about staff verification, but why not driver verification? If proper checks are conducted, there will likely be discrepancies in the records of such predators.”
She noted that if any discrepancies are found, at least it could prevent them from reoffending. “There are many reasons for these crimes, but if we focus on prevention, especially ensuring that commercial drivers are not employed without verification, they will fear losing their jobs. When buses operate with curtains, anyone can see inside, including traffic police and the public. Note the bus number and alert the PCR to check if CCTV is functioning inside.”
Bedi asserted that if we start focusing on prevention, enforcement, and the responsibilities of society and families, we can achieve significant progress. After prevention comes response, action, arrests, and legal proceedings, which can take an uncertain amount of time.
She added, “How much duty will the government fulfill? If families do not take on this responsibility, how are you raising your son? If he is dropping out of school or showing no interest in studies, what is he interested in? What kind of company is he keeping? Families are primarily responsible for this. It is their duty to ensure that such boys do not become predators. Properly nurture your children. Prevention is essential. After that, employment serves as a form of prevention. Therefore, if we focus on these two aspects, we can at least reduce such crimes.”
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