Cong MP moves adjournment motion over safety of women passengers in trains

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday gave notice to move a motion for the adjournment of the Business of the House in the Lok Sabha to discuss the issue of safety of women passengers in trains.

He cited a recent incident where a pregnant woman was allegedly thrown out of the Coimbatore-Tirupati Intercity Express train after resisting an rape attempt.

In his notice, Tagore said, "That this House do now adjourn to discuss a matter of urgent public importance, namely, the growing concern over the safety of women passengers in trains, as evidenced by the recent horrific incident of a pregnant woman being thrown out of the Coimbatore-Tirupati Intercity Express train after resisting an attempted rape, and to request the Railway Minister to take immediate and effective measures to ensure the safety and security of all passengers, particularly women, during their journey by train."

He asserted that the recent incident on the Coimbatore- Tirupati Intercity Express train is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of women passengers in trains. "The fact that the accused was a habitual offender and had been involved in similar cases in the past highlights the laxity of the railway authorities in ensuring the safety of passengers," the Congress MP said.

Manickam Tagore also mentioned that this is not an isolated incident as there have been numerous cases of harassment, molestation, and even rape of women passengers in trains across the country.

"Therefore, I request the Railway Minister to take immediate and effective measures to ensure the safety and security of all passengers, particularly women, during their journey by train. This includes increasing the number of women police personnel and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel in trains, installing CCTV cameras in all coaches, and providing emergency response systems for passengers to report any incidents of harassment or molestation," he demanded.

Notably, the budget session of parliament commenced on January 31 and, according to schedule, will end on April 4.