UP: Women bodies’ protest SWC chief’s appointment

Yet another appointment made by the Samajwadi Party government has landed in controversy. This time, it is the appointment of Zarina Usmani as chairperson of the State Women’s Commission (SWC). Several women’s organisations have submitted a representation to the UP governor B.L. Joshi demanding that Ms Usmani’s appointment be cancelled. The organisations that include Bhartiya Mahila Federation, Saajhi Duniya and All India Democratic Women’s Association have informed the Governor that Ms Carina Usmani was a member of the State Women’s Commission in 2005 when the infamous Ashiana gangrape case took place. “As member of the SWC, Ms Usmani met the victim’s family and tried to pressurise them to withdraw their complaint because the main accused, Gaurav Shukla, happened to be the nephew of a powerful Samajwadi leader. “The State Women’s Commission has great responsibility towards women and its members are required to help the victims and not take up cudgels on behalf of the offenders for purely political reasons. We, therefore, request you to take cognisance of these facts and ensure justice to women,” the representation said. Ms Zarina Usmani, however, dismissed the issue saying that the allegations against her were baseless.