Knives, chilli powder to fight off rapists
Source: Agencies |
January 26, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
INDIA'S radical Hindu nationalist party governing Mumbai has handed out kitchen knives and chilli powder to women following a gang rape in the capital New Delhi that ignited a national debate on the best way to tackle sex crimes.
The Shiv Sena party, an ally of the main opposition BJP, yesterday said it has handed out 21,000 knives with 3-inch (7-centimeter) blades to women in the city and surrounding areas and plans to distribute 100,000.
Mumbai police said they were examining the knives and considering legal action.
"This is a symbolic gesture," said Shiv Sena spokesman Rahul Narvekar, adding that a knife shorter than 6 inches in length does not fit the definition of a weapon. The party also handed out small bags of chilli powder - apparently to throw into an attacker's eyes.
"It's only to pass a signal to eve-teasers, anti-social elements and perpetrators of crime against women that women are empowered and they can take care of themselves," he said.
Eve-teasing is a euphemism for molesting women.
A 23-year-old student was raped and beaten on a moving bus in New Delhi last month.
The Shiv Sena party, an ally of the main opposition BJP, yesterday said it has handed out 21,000 knives with 3-inch (7-centimeter) blades to women in the city and surrounding areas and plans to distribute 100,000.
Mumbai police said they were examining the knives and considering legal action.
"This is a symbolic gesture," said Shiv Sena spokesman Rahul Narvekar, adding that a knife shorter than 6 inches in length does not fit the definition of a weapon. The party also handed out small bags of chilli powder - apparently to throw into an attacker's eyes.
"It's only to pass a signal to eve-teasers, anti-social elements and perpetrators of crime against women that women are empowered and they can take care of themselves," he said.
Eve-teasing is a euphemism for molesting women.
A 23-year-old student was raped and beaten on a moving bus in New Delhi last month.
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