During a law and order review meeting, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath direct the officials to make state’s Anti Romeo Squad more active. In the meeting he highlighted that women’s safety and dignity is government’s top priority.
He emphasized that the government has women and girls first as its priority. He taught that the Anti-Romeo Squads should be more vigilant in the markets, university campuses, and other sensitive places that had women and gave a stern warning that, when there was lack of security among women, the concerned officials would be dealt with harshly.
A new stage of Mission Shakti was also announced by Chief Minister during Sharadiya Navratri and it will be based on sensitivity, security, self-reliance, and respect towards women. The district administrations have been Instructed to start preparations at once.
They have been given the responsibility to keep the streets of their cities like malls, colleges, and streets under the watch of Anti-Romeo Squads comprising of both male and female police officers in order to stop harassment of women in the streets. Police are commanded to act promptly and decisively against criminals according to the relevant legislation.
The teams will enhance their vigilance, particularly within learning institutions and high populations, and they are likely to operate in close coordination with local systems of redressing grievances. Cases of negligence or falsification of complaints by authorities on behalf of the people shall be welcomed into the disciplinary systems.
As proponents celebrate the move as the key to curbing street harassment and ensuring that public spaces are safe to women, critics worry that the initiative would be overly ambitious and subject to moral policing. Police officials however point out that the squad members are trained to give warnings and counsel first before taking legal action against repeat offenders.
The government of Uttar Pradesh has further cemented its dedication to the safety of the women by enhancing its enforcement requirements on the Anti-Romeo Squads, indicating the intolerance of any harassment and negligence towards the women and girls and the need to ensure a safer, more dignified environment in all parts of the state.
