If we teach daughters dos and don’ts, should teach boys the same: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta

Rekha Gupta, speaking at an event at Maitreyi College in DU’s South Campus, stated that 50,000 CCTV cameras and one lakh streetlights are being installed in the city to enhance security.(Photo: X/@gupta_rekha)

As a string of protests by students recently rocked the Capital following an incident of gangrape of a minor at a park in South Delhi, Lieutenant Governor T S Sandhu on Wednesday held a meeting with Principals of several women’s colleges, while Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stressed on teaching both girls and boys the lessons of “dos and don’ts”.

Stating that girls should not be subjected to restrictions in the name of security, Gupta said: “When home, family and society talk about putting restrictions, they talk about applying it to girls … Why is everything for girls?… And what is there for boys? The Prime Minister said at the Red Fort: ‘When will people make boys understand?’ This is everybody’s responsibility. If we teach our daughters dos and don’ts, we should also teach boys the same,” she added.

Gupta, speaking at an event at Maitreyi College in DU’s South Campus, also stated that 50,000 CCTV cameras and one lakh streetlights are being installed in the city to enhance security.

“Today as a woman, a mother, and a Chief Minister, I want to tell all my daughters here that I am with you… I am happy that now, the daughters of the country are not silent. They raise their voices. And that this voice is never suppressed is something we have to give importance to,” she said.

Meanwhile, at the meeting chaired by LG Sandhu, among key safety concerns raised by principals of Delhi University’s top women’s colleges were the lack of safe last-mile connectivity to colleges, “unsafe” parks near campuses, and insufficient lighting.

Apart from principals of prominent colleges, including Lady Shri Ram College, Miranda House, Indraprastha College, Jesus & Mary College and Gargi College, the meeting was attended by DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh, police personnel and officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Transport department and the Public Works Department.

Among other concerns highlighted at the meeting were encroached footpaths and pathways, unregulated vending, dark spots, public toilets near campuses, obscene flashing incidents, said a statement from the LG’s office. The Principals also sought more ‘Pink Booths’ and increased patrolling.

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According to the LG’s office, Sandhu has directed agencies, departments and officials to repair streetlights, install high mast lights to address dark spots on roads used by students, install CCTV cameras at bus stops and other public spaces, increase patrolling around colleges, conduct a safety audit of areas around educational institutions. He also directed them to bolster connectivity from colleges to Metro stations, including shuttle services during the evening hours and the provision of U-Special and Metro feeder buses.