Rajasthan Women's Commission member resigns over 'rape victim selfie'

Somya Gurjar, the Rajasthan Women’s Commission member, who posted a selfie with a rape victim, resigned after facing flak on social media platforms and in political circles for her actions. National Commission for Women summoned her and the state panel’s chief after reprimanding them for a “very insensitive” act. Sources said she quit after mounting pressure from the Union government, which has apparently taken strong exception to the incident.

Sharma, who also appears in the selfie, said Gurjar took the photograph after they heard the victim as part of their investigation into her complaint against her husband and in-laws. The woman had alleged that they tattooed abuses on her body for failing to pay dowry, The Indian Express reported. Congress, which is in Opposition in the state, has accused the women’s panel as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Rajasthan of insensitivity towards women. “Despite a court order, the FIR [into the victim’s complaint] was registered after 10 days. It shows the state government’s attitude towards women. The women’s commission is a statutory body, and this sort of conduct shows lack of commitment of office-bearers,” state Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma said.