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PM assures security to north-east girls

May 13, 2005 23:01 IST

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured a delegation of members of Parliament from the north-east that the government would do everything possible to provide security to girls from the north-eastern states so that they feel comfortable while moving around in the capital.

Speaking to rediff.com after the meeting with Dr Singh, Dr Arun Kumar Sharma, who led the delegation, said the members of the delegation were satisfied with the response of the Prime Minister in this matter.

"Dr Singh told us that he was very concerned about the incident and that his government would take necessary security arrangements for the girls from the north-east. He asked us if we had any particular suggestion to put forward, which can be implemented. We told him that the central government should think of setting up a girl's hostel for north-eastern women students and office workers. He said his government would implement the suggestion," Sharma said.

Asom Gana Parishad MP Sarbananda Sonowal, who raised the matter regarding the gang rape of a girl student from the north-east by four men in a car in the wee hours of May 10 in South Delhi, in Lok Sabha, could not accompany the delegation due to pre-occupation of work.

The delegation had met Home Minister Shivraj Patil on May 11, who assured them that his ministry would do everything to book the culprits and take stringent action against them.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi