The Supreme Court has slammed the Madhya Pradesh Government over the abysmal amount it provides rape victims with. The amount of compensation is entitled to rape victims under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme which was launched in 2013 after the appalling December 16, 2012, Nirbhaya Gangrape.

All the states and union territories were bound to file affidavits informing about the amount they have received from the center under the Nirbhaya Fund along with the details of the expenditure from the fund. No state, other than Sikkim, obeyed the order. A bench of two judges Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta chided the MP government, after going through the details regarding Nirbhaya Fund, from an old affidavit filed by the state.

“For Madhya Pradesh, the figures are fantastic. There are 1,951 rape victims in Madhya Pradesh and you are giving them Rs 6,000 to Rs 6,500 each. Is that good, commendable? What is this? This is total insensitiveness. Are you doing a charity? How can you do so you value a rape at Rs 6000 to Rs 6500,” said Justice Lokur.

The Supreme Court ordered all the states to submit the affidavit within four weeks. The bench also said that if the states and union territories do not submit the affidavits it would be assumed they are not interested in working for the welfare of rape victims.