Panaji: The Goa government on Thursday told the House that it has not received any appeals or representations on the issue of widow discrimination and currently does not find it necessary to bring in a separate law to deal with such practices, citing existing support mechanisms.
In a written reply tabled in the House to a starred question by MLAs Altone D’Costa, Carlos Ferreira, and Yuri Alemao, Women and Child Development Minister Vishwajit Rane said no memorandums, appeals, or letters have been received regarding widow discrimination, abuse, or isolation in the state.
Responding to the legislators’ query about the steps taken to end unjust funeral-related customs targeting women, the Minister said no such cases have been reported so far.
Rane said issues related to widow abuse or discrimination can be addressed through the Women Helpline (181) under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and through the network of One Stop Centers (OSCs) set up across the state.
“The Women Helpline offers immediate and emergency response to women affected by violence, including widows facing discrimination,” the reply stated. “One Stop Centers provide integrated support, including psychological, legal, and medical aid, and act as a single point of contact for women seeking help,” he said.
He maintained that this existing mechanism is adequate and that there is no need for a new law to address such issues.
Asked to specify the timeline by which the government would enact legislation to stop these practices, Rane reiterated, “The extant mechanism is sufficient to handle these types of cases in any community.”
