Women being treated as chattel: Chidambaram

Hoping that attitudes would change with education, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said on Wednesday said that women were being treated as chattel and that was one reason for crimes against them.

"I certainly share the view that women are treated as chattel... one reason why crime is committed against them," Chidambaram said in the Rajya Sabha.

"I hope this attitude will change with education."

The minister was replying to a question on rising crime against women. Asked if New Delhi was the country's rape capital, Chidambaram said, "It is wrong to say Delhi is the capital of crime against women, this is not the right picture.

"If people feel so I feel sorry. Crime against women is there all over India and, I regret, it is so in Delhi too," he said.

He added that a detailed advisory had been issued to all states asking them to take adequate measures to protect women.

The issue, Chidambaram said, could be taken up at the meeting of chief ministers April 16.

Giving out statistics, the minister said 213,585 cases of crime against women were reported in the country in 2010 and 22,172 rapes in 2010.
 
A high powered committee under the home secretary was set up to examine a review of rape laws.

The committee has formulated the draft Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2011, after consultation with all stakeholders. A draft cabinet note has been circulated to the concerned ministries, he added.