'Hurt' President laments society's attitude towards women

Feeling "hurt" by the Delhi gang rape and other recent incidents of crimes against women, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said a society which cannot provide security and dignity to its women is not worth considering a civilised one.

He lamented the "deprivity of human nature" as he laid the foundation stone for 'Nirbhaya Bhavan', a complex to be built in the memory of 23-year-old girl who was gangraped and brutalised in Delhi on December 16, last year.

"The barbaric acts perpetrated on women is not just a matter of law and force, but also of the society's apathetic attitude. Whenever a woman is subjected to violence, people around show their apathy and aloofness. It is depravity of human nature," Mukherjee said.

"The recent cases of violence on women indicate that we have lost our civilizational values and a society which cannot provide respect, dignity and security to its women is not worth being called a civilised society," he added.

Apparently referring to the Delhi gangrape and other incidents of crime against women in the last few months, Mukherjee said, "the recent happenings have hurt me. These show that we have lost our civilisational values."

He pitched for creating awareness so that society's participation in preventing such crimes can be increased.

"Often, the accused is acquitted for lack of evidence. My appeal to all on this occasion is create adequate awareness so that we can fight against this evil," he said, adding this will help in restoring our civilisational values.

The five-floor 'Nirbhaya Bhavan' in Jasola in South Delhi will be the new headquarter of National Commission for Women.