Members of Students Federation of India (SFI) on Sunday organised a mini-marathon here against drugs and sexual violence.
Speaking on the occasion, senior CPI (M) leader and former MLA K. Balabharathi said crimes against girls and women were on the rise and the need of the hour was to prevent them.
While the government was doing its part, people should be vigilant and bold to face the challenges. Police and the judiciary should punish the criminals without any delay. Similarly, social organisations and activists had a crucial role to play in preventing girls from falling prey.
She said outfits such as SFI, AIDWA and DYFI must be pro-active in cases involving child marriage, female infanticide, abuse of teenage girls and humiliation of women for dowry. Society should be saved from the culprits.
Ms. Balabharati also touched upon the ills of drugs and the consequences of addiction to narcotics. Though there was exclusive wings in the police, the prevention was not encouraging. Likewise, punishment and conviction rate too was far from satisfactory.
Smugglers used Tamil Nadu as a passage to carry drugs from different destinations. According to data released recently, the State stood third in the country in narcotics smuggling. The educated youth should play a pro-active role in disseminating the consequences of falling prey to drugs.
The mini-marathon began from the Collectorate and passed through Bharathi Nagar and Old Bus Stand and reached the new bus stand.
Other speakers lauded the youth for participating in a large numbers.