Acid attack is the most horrific crime against women: Justice Indira Banerjee, Judge Supreme Court of India

Under the joint aegis of Bhagidari Jan Sahyog Samiti and NSS Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, mentioned acid attack as the most horrific crime against women at the inaugural session of the National Webinar on Acid Attack Prevention in active participation of Motherland Voice newspaper on "Prevention of Acid Attack", Justice Indira Banerjee Judge Supreme Court of India said awareness about gender equality is especially essential for children.
She said that today there is a need to build a society which is not only free from such incidents but also sensitive to the victims of such attacks.

Webinar was mainly contributed by State Services Authority of Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh . Welcoming all the guests of the session, Dr. Rajender Dhar, Patron, Bhagidari Jan Sahyog Samiti, and Vice Chancellor of, Lingya University mentioned the need to include acid attack prevention and awareness about it in the academic curriculum.

In his presidential address to the inaugural session, Justice Rumi Fukan, Judge, Gauhati High Court, stressed that being a sensitive citizen of democratic society, there is need for everyone's contribution to help acid attack victims.
Justice and Additional Secretary, Delhi State Legal Services Authority, Namrita Aggarwal, elaborated on the important role of the State Legal Services Authority across the country in the protection of women's rights. She said that it provides free legal aid to the victim of acid attack and the services of free advocacy at the expense of the authority as and when required.

At the same time, an attempt is made to connect the victim’s emotional attachment to life and to mainstream with society through psychological counselling. She informed that one lakh rupees is given as interim assistance by the Authority to the victim within 15 days on application by the acid attack victim, her family member or head of police station or as and when coming to the notice of the authority so that immediate treatment can be provided. Then, in the next two months, two lakh rupees more is given
Justice and Member Secretary, Madhya Pradesh State Legal Services Authority, Giri Bala Singh Highlighted the Women's Rights Awareness Campaign in 181 villages adopted by the Authority and also appealed for rehabilitation of acid attack victims and linking them to the mainstream of society.

Vijay Gaur, well-known social activist and General Secretary, Bhagidari Jan Sahyog Samiti, said that acid burns not only the face of the victim but also the soul of human beings. In such a situation, it is true worship of God to become a means of connecting the victim with the mainstream of society

In the welcome address at the technical session, Vice Chancellor Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University expressed gratitude to all the guests of the session and said that terrible crimes like acid attack should have no place in civilised society.
Referring to the fact that the acid attack originated in social snobbery and patriarchal mindset, Justice and Secretary, Delhi State Legal Services Authority, Kanwal Jeet Arora said that these attacks prove that the accused sees women at the lower position as compared to the male counterpart. Such a mindset needs to be changed as it completely shatters the identity of the victim and at the same time, harasses the victim in other ways by the society.

He said that 119 acid attack victims have been provided employment opportunities like compensation amount of Rs 2.18 crore as well as rehabilitation steps such as appointment as employees.

Preeti Bhardwaj Dalal, Chairperson, Haryana State Commission for Women, while explaining the spirit of the courageous acid attack victim through poetry, elaborated on the awareness efforts of the Commission on the rights of women in villages and said that nowadays acid is thrown not only on the body but also forced through the mouth for which a separate law needs to be added as such crime has not been included in the legal provisions of acid attack.

Highlighting the important role of the media in the public awareness campaign, Director General (Doordarshan) Mayank Agarwal said that Doordarshan is organizing several programmes for women empowerment at the state and national level and in the next episode of Mera Haq, a women empowerment show will focus on acid attack survivors. He said there is a need to share the story and efforts of acid attack survivors so that they can be exposed in the media and linked to the mainstream.

Aishwarya Bhati Addl. Solicitor General, Supreme Court of India, said that after the Nirbhaya incident, there has been public awareness like a tsunami and people have started demanding zero tolerance for acid attack against women.
She highlighted the Act amendment and said that cases like acid attack are the cause of male supremacy in conservative society and unequal distribution of power between men and women. Today, such mindset needs to be changed and a long battle needs to be fought for the rights and awareness of women.

Chief Guest, Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra, Judge (Retd.) Supreme Court of India, emphasizing on moral education, said that the State Legal Services Authority should provide legal education and also the boys and girls need to be more morally strong. Girls have to be aware that if they are in relation with a boy who is criminal, the relationship needs to be discontinued immediately.
He said that we have to think and share measures to prevent crimes like acid attacks so that such incidents do not recur. Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Rajiv Gandhi University Arunachal Pradesh, Vice Chancellor Swami Vivakanand Subharati University Uttar Pradesh, Vice Chancellor DAV University Punjab and Vice Chancellor Jivaji University Madhya Pradesh unanimously acknowledged the important role of public awareness in acid attack prevention.
Vijay Gaur, Chief Convener, informed that 8000 people from 26 states of the country joined Webinar and showed their faith in awareness campaign.

Representatives of associate institutions for their outstanding contribution to the programme organizing and legal awareness campaign were Dr. Rajalakshmi Janaki Devi Memorial College Delhi, Dr. Reddy and Dr. Shivani Goswami Guru Gobind Singh University Delhi, Dr. Parminder Kaur Delhi University, Dr. Smriti Khosla DV University Punjab, Dr. Sushma Joshi BPS Women's University Haryana, Dr. Ravi Kant Adalat Jivaji University Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Anil Manny Rajiv Gandhi University Arunachal Pradesh, Dr. Vaibhav Bhartiya Swami Vivekananda Subharati University Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Kaveri Bhardwaj K. R. Mangalam University Haryana, Dr. Pradeep Dimri JC Bose University of Science and Technology Haryana, Sanjay Upadhyay, Head of Anupama Human Foundation and Media Partner Institutions, Mother Land Voice Newspaper, Rajiv Lakshya News, Hamid Janmat News, Manoj Pandey Women Express, Reshu Sharma and Prateek Pandey Legal Junction Associates , Rahul Drishyam Media Production, Vandana Saxena Deputy Inspector General and Nutan Singh Deputy Director BPR&D, Anjum Siddiqui Joint Director (Education), New Delhi Municipal Council, Ms. Pushpa Deputy Education Officer (HQ), announced to honour Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Dr. Jyoti Gaur and Bharat Vishal Bhagidari Jan Sahyog Samiti with citations. Finally, Maithili Sharan Gupta (Retired IPS), Former Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh and Chairman Crime Free India Mission expressed gratitude to all while referring to the mission's constructive efforts to make India crime free.