New Delhi, December 20
Rising to the concern of one of the gruesome gangrapes in the city, the state government today decided to set up a round-the-clock control room for women in distress.

It would be made functional in Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's office at Delhi Secretariat with a dedicated phone number by the year end.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Dikshit with the Police Commissioner, women groups, government agencies and other stakeholders to discuss the safety of women in the city.

Dikshit added that the government has requested Additional Solicitor General Indira Jaisingh to prepare a draft bill to make the law against sexual harassment and assault more stringent so that it acts as a preventive and deterrent. "This would go a long way in containing such incidents. All stakeholders would be consulted before finalizing the draft law," said Dikshit.

She said that the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) would act as a nodal agency for launching a forceful campaign on safeguarding the dignity and safety of women. The DCW would take all necessary steps to utilize all feasible and appropriate modes of media to spread awareness amongst all sections of society. Citizen groups, resident welfare associations, corporate houses and mahila panchayats, besides others, would be involved in the campaign in order to extend its reach across Delhi, she said.

It was also been decided to utilize the services of NSS at university level to bring awareness on women safety. The government would also involve the district administration in sensitizing stakeholders.

She said that there is a need to disseminate police protocol to publicize step-by-step procedure being adopted by the police in registering an FIR, investigation, etc. The protocol would also be made available on the government website apart from in the offices of the district administration.

During the meeting, a number of suggestions were submitted which included self-defence training to women, increasing number of PCR vans, improvement in conviction percentage, deployment of women staff in the police stations, monitoring, evaluation of court judgements, etc.

The high-end meeting which undertook suggestions from important personalities on the safety measures of women saw the presence of Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, University of Delhi Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh, Member Planning Commission Syeeda Hamid, Chairman designate of FICCI Naina Kidwai, Mohini Giri from Guild of Services, eminent lawyer Indira Jaisingh, Laywer Vrinda Grover and Sunita Dhar from Jagori joined in the interaction whereas Delhi Social Welfare Minister Kiran Walia, DCW Chairperson Barkha Singh.

New Delhi, December 20
A large number of students from JNU, Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia under the aegis of the All-India Student Association (AISA) today took out a candlelight vigil march from the AIIMS Metro Station to Safdarjung Hospital against the Delhi government and the police in solidarity with the 23-year-old rape victim.

The capital has been witnessing a number of protests at different places in Delhi. Students also protested opposite official residence of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

At Safdurjung Hospital, young girls in small groups came to express solidarity with the victim and wanted to meet her in the ICU.

In the afternoon, around 150 medical aspirants with black cloth tied on their mouths held a protest outside the hospital demanding justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused.

Ravi, a protester, said that even four days had passed, the police could not arrest all the accused. Two are still absconding. The police claimed to have constituted teams to nab the remaining accused. But, it is very surprising that the police is still not aware of whereabouts of the accused.

University students today came to meet the victim but they were not allowed. "We don't know the victim personally. We came to know about the incident from the news. We have come here to express our support to the victim. We just want her and her family members to know that we are with them," said Sunita, a II-year student.

"I feel that a brave girl like her doesn't need anybody's sympathy. We just want that the culprits should be hanged," said Roma, another protester.

New Delhi, December 20
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Delhi-UK, has decided to appeal further after being denied by single bench of the Delhi High Court for getting a symbol to contest the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) election to be held on January 27 next year.

SAD (Delhi-UK) president Jasjit Singh said that he was preparing to submit the appeal in the double bench of the High Court for getting the symbol.

According to the directorate of the Gurdwara Election, Delhi government, G.P. Singh, the SAD (Delhi-UK) and Dashmesh Sewa Society had filed petitions for getting election symbols. Dashmesh has been given symbol, but SAD (Delhi-UK) has been denied as it does not fulfil rules of the Delhi government.

G.P. Singh said that he had received the order for giving symbol to Dashmesh Sewa Society.

Jasjit Singh said in absence of symbol he is planning to have coalition with any party. He may have coalition with the Dashmesh but final decision will be taken by the leaders at a meeting in a few days. "We have ample time to decide this as nomination of candidates will begin from December 31. If I am not successful in coalition, I, along with members of my party, will contest on independent symbols. The SAD (Delhi-UK) will not stop its agenda for contesting the DSGMC election," Jasjit Singh said.

Jasjit Singh has been active in the Delhi gurdwara politics for the past two years when he had some differences in business with the DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna. He constituted his party and on its platform had started raising various issues - corruption, deteriorating education standard of the schools run by the DSGMC, Bala Sahib Hospital and a number of other issues.