Do you value a rape at Rs 6,500, SC asks Madhya Pradesh

Do you value a rape at Rs 6,500 the Supreme Court asked while taking to task the government of Madhya Pradesh. The observations were made by a Bench comprising Justices Madan Lokur and Deepak Gupta while examining an affidavit filed by the MP government on the utilisation of funds from the Nirbhaya scheme.

Are you doing charity by paying a meagre amount to rape victims, the Bench asked. According to you, and your affidavit, you are paying Rs 6,000 to a rape victim. Are you doing charity? How can you do so? Do you value a rape at Rs 6,500, the court also said.

For Madhya Pradesh, the figures are fantastic. There are 1,951 rape victims in Madhya Pradesh and you are giving them Rs 6,000-Rs 6,500 each. Is that good, commendable? What is this," the bench observed while stating that this was total insensitiveness.

Despite getting the maximum amount of allocation under the Nirbhaya Fund, Madhya Pradesh had only spent around Rs one crore on 1,951 rape victims.

The Nirbhaya Fund was set up by the Centre in 2013 after the December 16, 2012 gangrape and murder case in Delhi.

In January the court had directed all states and union territories to submit an affidavit on the amount received by them under the Nirbhaya scheme and also the amount disbursed to victims of sexual assault. 24 states and UTs are yet to submit their affidavits.

When Haryana's counsel said they would file their affidavit, the bench observed, "If you have not filed affidavit, it is a very clear indication of what you feel for safety of women in your state".

"You take your time and tell the women in your state that you do not care for them," the bench said while observing that 24 states and UTs have not yet filed their affidavit as per the court's direction.

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