BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of crimes against women among the 28 states in the country last year, according to the National Crime Records Bureau’s report for 2022.

Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh registered 65,743 cases of crimes against women, followed by Maharashtra with 45,331 cases and Rajasthan with 45,058. In 2021, Uttar Pradesh had registered 56,083 cases of crimes against women followed by Rajasthan (40,738).

Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 promising to end crimes against women, riding the slogan “Bahut hua naari par vaar, abki baar Modi Sarkar (Enough of attacks on women, this time it’s Modi’s turn to govern)”. As Prime Minister, he gave the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao slogan for the girl child’s safety and education.

During the just-ended Rajasthan election that the BJP won, the party had made crimes against women a campaign plank.

A total of 445,256 cases of crimes against women were registered countrywide in 2022, marking a four per cent rise from the 428,278 registered in 2021.

Most of the cases came under the head of cruelty by the husband or his relatives, followed by kidnappings, assaults with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty, and
rape.

Some 5,610 cases were registered in 2022 for “offences against the State”, compared with 5,164 in 2021, marking an increase of 8.6 per cent.

Of these 5,610 cases, 4,403 were registered under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and 1,005 under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

India in 2022 registered 65,893 cases of cyber crime, a 24.4 per cent rise from the 52,974 registered in 2021.