Delhi CM shifts blame from victim to employer

CAPITAL SHAME: Delhi CM had faulted the victim for venturing out on Delhi streets at night.

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New Delhi: A day after Sheila Dikshit came under fire for her comments on a murder victim in the national Capital, the Delhi Chief Minister shifted blame to the employers.

Initially, she had drawn flak for her comment on the murder of journalist Soumya Viswanathan. "All by herself at three in the morning in a city that is believed to be unsafe...is being adventurous," Dikshit had said.

Her remark had shocked the country, especially women who have to work late night shifts.

“It is not all correct to say so. She (Soumya) was not at all being adventurous. She was only returning home from work,” said Triveni, a teacher in Delhi.

Barely twenty-four hours later, the CM told CNN-IBN in an exclusive interview that the employers were morally responsible for the safety and security of employees working in round-the-clock jobs.

“I think those who employ young girls or for that matter even boys and allow them to traverse 24 hours, particularly after 9 or 10 at night, I think they need a most safe escort, rather than just driving by herself,” said Dikshit.

About her earlier remark that the employers have a duty and a moral responsibility to ensure girls are escorted back home, Dikshit said, “I think so. Under the shops and establishment act also this has been said. I think we should do it. Please remember crimes take place in areas where sometimes you don't expect even policemen to be there.”

Soumya, who was a television journalist, had volunteered to stay back at work after news broke about the blasts in Malegaon and Modasa on September 29.

She was shot dead while driving back home on the Nelson Mandela Marg in the national capital.

With poorly lit roads and inadequate police patrolling, Delhi has earned itself the dubious distinction of being called the crime capital of the country.

Meanwhile, there's still no breakthrough in the murder case. After the special investigating team claimed only one shot was fired, police say they have found another witness who heard a loud noise at the scene of the crime.

"Probably there is one more person who was around at the time of the crime," said DCP (South) of Delhi Police, HGS Dhaliwal.

The Soumya murder investigation has thrown up more questions than answers.

Apart from some small developments, the Delhi Police are yet to hit upon that one major breakthrough that can solve this case.