By Paramjit Singh Kakkar
The NARI 2025 Report of the National Women’s Commission has delivered an unflattering truth: Dehradun now figures among the ten most unsafe cities in India for women. For a city long celebrated as an educational hub and a model of civility, this is more than a statistical setback—it is a damning indictment of governance failure.
What is worse than the ranking itself is the reaction from those entrusted with safeguarding women’s rights. Going by reportage in a local daily, instead of accepting the report as a much-needed wake-up call, the Uttarakhand State Women’s Commission has chosen to dismiss and refute the findings. This reflex of denial is not only misplaced—it is dangerous. By questioning the credibility of the national report rather than addressing the rot, the state commission has sent a message that image management matters more than women’s security.
Let us be clear: the safety of women is not negotiable. It is not an issue to be debated away or lost in bureaucratic turf wars. It is the very foundation of a city’s progress and dignity. Dehradun’s slide in this ranking should have sparked immediate introspection and urgent corrective measures—from policing to public awareness, from law enforcement to community vigilance. Instead, the official reaction has been one of defensiveness, as though the mere act of disputing a report could erase the reality on the ground.
Citizens of Dehradun deserve better. Women in this city deserve far better. It is the duty of the police, administration, civic bodies, and elected representatives to ensure safety in streets, institutions, workplaces, and homes. Measures such as stronger surveillance in vulnerable zones, swift response systems, gender-sensitisation of law enforcement, and institutional mechanisms for grievance redressal cannot wait for tomorrow—they must be put into action today.
The fact that safety has never been part of the city’s public debate in the past is no excuse for inaction now. On the contrary, it highlights how blind spots in governance and civic discourse have allowed complacency to fester. A city that prides itself on its educational legacy and intellectual culture should lead by example—not trail behind in shame.
The NARI 2025 Report is not an attack on Dehradun; it is a mirror. We can choose to smash the mirror, or we can choose to confront what it reveals. If we continue in denial, we will only confirm the worst fears about our institutions. But if we rise to the challenge, work systematically, and involve citizens in genuine reforms, we can reclaim Dehradun’s reputation as a safe, progressive, and liveable city.
The choice is ours—but the time for excuses has run out.
(The author is associated with “PRAMUKH-NGO” and Nature Science Initiative Trust)
