Girls Trained In Self-Defence Against Eveteasers

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) Delhi University girl students were trained by police to defend themselves against eveteasers but there is no government plan for such training on other campuses, Parliament was told today.

In a reflection of times, Delhi University conducted a seven day programme to train hostel girls in self defence, Minister of State for Human Resource Development M A A Fatmi said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

Mr Fatmi was answering a member inquiring whether girl students were being trained in martial arts to deal with eveteasers.

The programme was conducted in three women's hostels in collaboration with Delhi Police, Mr Fatmi said, adding that similar programmes were conducted by Lady Sri Ram College for Women, Mata Sundari College and Kalindi College.

Asked whether the government planned to ask other universities to follow suit, he said, ''the programmes were informal in nature and based on voluntary participation.'' The Minister said Universities were statutory autonomous bodies and decided about running courses and programmes on their own.

''There is no proposal with the government in this regard.'' UNI MJ NK VC1822