NCW chief in verbal spat with US-based writer

NEW DELHI: India takes the safety of women very seriously and the implementation of stringent laws over time is evidence of it, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said on Monday, as she hit out at a US-based writer for allegedly “defaming” the country over the gang-rape of a Spanish woman in Jharkhand.

Writer David Josef Volodzko said he has advised his female friends to not travel to India alone. His X post followed the alleged gang-rape of the tourist in Dumka district. He also referred to some incidents of abuse and harassment, including one related to a woman being groped.

“Did you ever report the incident to the police? If not, then you are totally an irresponsible person. Writing only on social media and defaming whole country is not good choice (sic),” Sharma said in response in a post on X.

In response, Volodzko said Sharma herself has faced criticism for failure to respond to complaints filed by women’s rights groups over credible allegations of women being publicly stripped naked, beaten by mobs and raped in public.

“And yet here she is with the gall to accuse me of defaming India. Sharma, it is you who defame India by presiding over a group called the National Commission for Women and doing nothing about the issue,” he said.

“To vilify an entire country with a tweet is not only in poor taste but also unacceptable, as data speaks otherwise,” Sharma replied. While many took sides with Sharma or Volodzko, Tamil actor Kasthuri Shankar termed the NCW chief’s response as being tone-deaf. “Defaming the whole country? That is what INDIANS are doing. Where rape is 1 every 16 min. Stop shooting the messenger (sic),” she said quote-tweeting Sharma.

“Not everyone is in denial. We the women of India stand by you and denounce the apathetic attitude of its chairperson. Love means being truthful. It means taking the effort to talk about problems,” she added.