'New laws not the only solution to curb crimes against women': VP Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said that bringing laws to curb atrocities against women was not the only solution as "political will" and "administrative skills" were required to end the social evil.

Referring to recent incidents in Unnao and Hyderabad, Naidu said, "In Indian culture, we treat a woman as a mother, a sister. However, what has happened in recent days in certain parts is really shameful and a challenge for all of us. We must vow to ensure this sort of discrimination, these atrocities are stopped immediately."

A 23-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district was set afire by five men, including two of her alleged rapists, on Thursday morning when she was going to Rae Bareli to attend a court hearing. She succumbed to burn injuries on Friday night.

The incident came days after the gang-rape and murder of a young veterinary doctor in Hyderabad that sparked national outrage.

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Addressing the 16th convocation of the Symbiosis International University in Pune, the vice president said bringing new laws was not the solution.

"We brought a Bill on Nirbhaya. What happened? Was the problem solved? I am not against any bill or new law, but what I always feel is political will and administrative skills to kill the social evil are needed. Change in the mindset is the need of the hour and that we should go back to the roots and culture," he said.

He added that looking at such incidents from the prism of religion and politics would ensure that the "cause is lost".

The vice president said such incidents were giving the country a bad name but cautioned against indulging in politics at the expense of the nation during such times.

"It is giving India a bad name. Some people are claiming India is becoming capital of so and so. I do not want to get into that... We should not denigrate our country and we should not get into politics in such matters of atrocities," he said.

Naidu said that the need of the hour was for teachers to inculcate right values among students and show them the right path.

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