Webdesk: Although the BJP had made loud noises to claim its stance on women in its campaign, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, the reality on the ground is poor in terms of women’s safety as crimes against women in India continue to rise.
Crimes against women have been on a sharp rise over the years, with many of them involving the political elite who seem to get away with such crimes due to their apparent state protection.
One of the latest shocking incidents regarding crimes against women in India involves the son of a BJP MLA, Prabhu Chauhan, Prateek Chauhan, who has been accused by a 25-year-old Maharashtra-based woman of raping her on multiple occasions between December 25, 2023 and March 27, 2024.
The purported group actions occurred in Karnataka. According to NDTV, the survivor said she was emotionally and physically abused after Prateek refused to marry her, despite earlier promises.
She also alleged that he pushed her to the point of attempting suicide and inflicted a serious blade wound on her arm.
This is not an incidental case, unfortunately. The Indian Express reports that between 2019 and 2025, of the 151 sitting MPs and MLAs in India, 28 have charges against them in relation to crimes against women.
#womensafety_in_india
— _PEACE_DUDE (@Aryn32187359) July 22, 2025
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), crimes against women have increased by 26.35% over the past six years
Breaking Down the Stats
Rape Cases:- A woman is raped every 16 minutes in India.please look forward to it @PMOIndia@arjunrammeghwal
According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 54 of them are BJP candidates, with two MPs and 14 MLAs accused of grave forms of sexual assault. The party’s image as a defender of traditional Indian values appears to crumble in the face of these numbers.
Several top BJP leaders have also been accused in the past. Former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was sentenced to life in 2019 for raping a minor girl. BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment, as reported by The Times of India.
Similarly, Umesh Aggarwal, a former BJP MLA, was accused of drugging and raping a woman in 2015, and Nihal Chand Meghwal, a former minister, was named in a rape facilitation case in 2011.
According to critics, instead of delivering justice, the BJP-led central government frequently protects the accused, in-turn encouraging crimes against women in India. The increased instances of these cases in the country demonstrate how the government failed to offer security and justice to women.
Talking about rape cases and crimes against women in India, recently, in Odisha, the new BJP government led by Mohan Majhi is encountering a backlash after a tragic incident involving a young woman.
*🚨No Safety for Girls in Modi’s India*
— Global Eyes (@_Army804) July 22, 2025
🔹 Maharashtra: 3,506 rapes, 924 murders
🔹 NCW: 7,698 complaints, 394 rape cases
*This isn’t Beti Bachao, it’s Beti Bachao from BJP rule.‼️*#ModiFails pic.twitter.com/QU6HjGV5W8
A 20-year-old second-year student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College attempted suicide on July 12 after allegedly being ignored when she filed a sexual harassment complaint. The woman is now battling for her life at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, with doctors confirming 90 per cent burn injuries.
Another horrifying case emerged in Kolkata, where a female law student was gang-raped by three men, including a practising lawyer and two current law students. The attack reportedly took place at a law college in the Kasba area.
The main accused, Manojit Mishra, was seen in old photographs with senior Trinamool Congress leaders, adding fuel to the political fire between the ruling party and the BJP. This is after the RG Kar rape and killing of a woman who was found raped, tortured, and strangled in a seminar room.
Even though the suspect, a civic volunteer, received life imprisonment, all feel that the penalty was not commensurate with the severity of the crime.
Concerns over women’s safety and crimes against women in India have also spread beyond its borders. In Udaipur, Rajasthan, a French tourist was allegedly raped on 22 June by a man working with a private company.
The case drew sharp reactions, with opposition parties calling it a national shame. Even Ashok Gehlot pointed out that the United States has issued safety warnings to women travelling alone in India, reflecting growing international concern.
Such incidents of crimes against women in India are not new. In another shocking case, a 70-year-old tourist from Maharashtra was raped inside a hotel room in Pahalgam, an area in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
This incident happened just days after a suspected false-flag operation. Many see it as a symbol of the deteriorating safety of women, particularly in heavily militarised zones like Kashmir.
Earlier this year, the US State Department updated its travel advisory, urging American women not to travel alone in India, particularly due to the risk of sexual violence.
US state department issues revised travel advisory where they caution American females not to travel alone to india particularly because of rape crime in India. pic.twitter.com/BIqiBWKmWB
— Mona Khan (@mona_qau) April 10, 2019
The 🇺🇸 US State Department has issued an updated travel advisory for India, warning female tourists never to travel alone because of the threat of rape.
— Codex India (@Codex_India3) June 24, 2025
Travelling to India has become a women's safety issue. 🇮🇳💩#India #USA #Travel #SafetyFirst #WomensHealth pic.twitter.com/M2JJCwpnHt
A report by Al Jazeera revealed that India has consistently recorded between 30,000 and 34,000 rape cases annually from 2018 to 2025, with an average of one rape reported every 15 minutes.
According to CNN, in 2022, only 18,517 rape cases out of nearly 200,000 were resolved, leaving over 90 per cent of cases pending.
The rising crimes against women in India, especially those involving influential individuals, points to a deeper crisis in India’s justice system.
Observers believe that instead of creating a safer environment, the BJP’s hard-line policies, particularly in regions like IIOJK, have only led to increased repression, offering protection to the powerful while silencing victims.
Rape is a critical and rapidly escalating crimes against women in India. Thousands of cases are reported each year, although many others are not reported as victims are frightened or unsupported. The courts are usually extremely slow, and the majority of cases fail to result in justice.
Blame is shifted onto the victims, and influential individuals who perpetrate such crimes are sheltered. The police and the system do not act promptly or impartially in most instances.
This has resulted in women not feeling safe in the streets, schools, offices, and even in their homes. The crisis of crimes against women in India will not stop until the law is enforced universally and more attention is given to victims.
Read more: Kolkata law student rape case: No woman safe in Modi’s India
