- Title: INDIA: Gang rape victim given posthumous award
- Date: 8th March 2013
- Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (MARCH 08, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) INDIAN PRESIDENT, PRANAB MUKHERJEE AND MINISTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT KRISHNA TIRATH STANDING ON THE STAGE MOTHER OF THE DELHI GANG RAPE VICTIM, SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE MOTHER OF THE DELHI GANG RAPE VICTIM RECEIVING THE RANI LAXMI BAI AWARD FROM MUKHERJEE WOMEN CLAPPING IN THE AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN PRESIDENT, PRANAB MUKHERJEE, SAYING: "She is a true hero and symbolises the best in Indian youth and women. Her sad demise should not be in vain. We must do everything possible to ensure that such an incident never happens again." NEW DELHI, INDIA (FILE - DECEMBER 22, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) CROWD OF PROTESTERS ANGERED BY THE RAPE WALKING TOWARDS GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND THE PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE PROTESTERS SHOUTING SLOGANS PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS WOMEN SHOUTING SLOGANS TEAR GAS SHELLS BEING FIRED AMID PROTESTERS PROTESTERS RUNNING AWAY VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS AND WATER CANNON NEW DELHI, INDIA (FILE-2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) POSTERS PLASTERED ON A WALL PEOPLE LIGHTING UP CANDLES IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE RAPE VICTIM GIRL HOLDING A CANDLE AND SHOUTING SLOGANS CANDLES LIT IN A FORMATION READING 'HOMAGE' IN HINDI
- Embargoed: 23rd March 2013 21:25
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Crime
- Reuters ID: LVA9LNBG8LUXTZPG7AL5VI3OCHFG
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: The Delhi rape victim was posthumously given a bravery award by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on International Women's Day on Friday (March 8).
Mukherjee handed over the 'Rani Lakshmi Bai award' to her mother.
"She is a true hero and symbolises the best in Indian youth and women. Her sad demise should not be in vain. We must do everything possible to ensure that such an incident never happens again," said Mukherjee.
The award was a part of the six national awards for women under the banner of 'Stree Shakti Puraskar' - given to persons for outstanding contribution in fields of social development each year.
Earlier on Tuesday (March 5), the father of the victim, whose violent rape and subsequent death triggered massive protests for several weeks in India, welcomed a U.S. bravery award saying that it was a huge honour for his daughter.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was raped and beaten with an iron bar by five men and a teenager in a moving bus in December.
The woman died of internal injuries two weeks later.
The United States selected the 23-year-old student for the International Women of Courage Award.
It will be presented posthumously by First Lady Michelle Obama and the Secretary of State John Kerry, on International Women's Day on March 8, according to a U.S. State Department announcement.
While the trial of five of the accused is being conducted at a special fast-track court in New Delhi, the case of the sixth accused - a teenager began on Wednesday (March 6) after he pleaded not guilty to charges of gang rape and murder.
Many of the crimes against women are in India's heavily populated northern plains, where, in parts, there is a deep-rooted mindset that women are inferior and must be restricted to being homemakers and child bearers.
Violence against women has a level of social acceptability in India. A government survey found 51 percent of Indian men and 54 percent of women justified wife beating.
India has robust gender laws, but they are hardly enforced, partly because a feudal mindset is as prevalent among bureaucrats, magistrates and the police as it is elsewhere. Politicians are also unwilling to crack down on customary biases against women for fear of losing conservative votes. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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