'CM's reaction to crime against women ridiculous'

VARANASI: SC/ST Commission chairman PL Punia denied that he was being pressurized to quit office by the BJP led NDA government at the Centre and said that under Article 338 of the Constitution, the Union government has the power to appoint the chairman but no provision has been prescribed for his removal.
Talking to reporters at the Circuit House here on Thursday, Punia said, "The Congress led UPA government had also not removed former chairman late Surajbhan after coming to power in 2004.The NDA government has also not given any signal for my removal so far. I met the Union minister of social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot and he had not said anything in this regard."
On the increasing crime against women in Uttar Pradesh, Punia held the reaction of UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on the issue as ?ridiculous'. He said, "Due to being landless the dalit families are compelled to send their women in the fields of others to work as labourers in states like UP, which has a feudal history. This is the main reason behind the high rate of sexual assault against them in these states as the employers try to treat them as slaves."
"The CM can't turn a blind eye towards the reality, which hints that maximum cases of crime are taking place in UP in comparison to other states", he said further adding that the highest number of rape cases are being registered in Madhya Pradesh where tribal women are the worst victim. But, condition in UP is not very good as it ranks second in the list of sexual offences committed against the women, he added.
Punia said poverty and dependency on the land of others to earn livelihood was the main reason for high rate of sexual crime in these states. On an average 15 cases are reaching to commission from UP per day, he added.
He termed the controversy generated over Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati's comments regarding Sai Baba as unfortunate and said that everyone has the right to express his faith in anyone. He said before commenting about Sai Baba the Shankaracharya should also keep it in mind that question can also be raised on his following.
He also targeted the NDA government on the issue of inflation and said all the decisions taken so far by the Centre had adverse results.