Rahul Gandhi Questions Effectiveness Of One Stop Centres For Women’s Safety

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday flagged concerns about women’s safety and the functioning of One Stop Centres (OSCs), alleging that many women in distress are still unable to access timely assistance.

In a post on his WhatsApp channel, Rahul Gandhi wrote: “Women are knocking on doors for help, but the government has shut those doors.”

He further mentioned, “I asked in Parliament: when a woman escapes violence and reaches a One Stop Centre (OSC), why does she not receive help? Why does she find it locked? Why is there a shortage of staff? Why are complaints from across the country being ignored? What was the government’s response? Everything is ‘satisfactory’. If everything is ‘satisfactory’, then why are there so many reports highlighting problems in OSCs?”

“If safety is a priority, why are 3 out of every 5 women still not receiving help? And why is only 60 paise out of every Rs 100 of the Women and Child Development Ministry being spent on OSCs?” he asked.

The Leader of Opposition added, “Safety is not a scheme; it is the basic responsibility of the government. Calling everything ‘satisfactory’ does not ensure safety; it shows that the Modi government is not listening to anyone.”

Government Response And Data

Gandhi’s remarks follow a question he raised in the Lok Sabha on March 27, 2026, seeking details about OSC operations nationwide, including concerns over non-functional centres, limited working hours, and staff shortages.

He also sought data on women seeking assistance, fund allocation and utilisation, and vacancies in key roles such as administrators, counsellors, and medical personnel.

Responding, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur stated that OSCs operate under the Mission Shakti scheme to provide ‘integrated and immediate assistance’ including medical aid, legal support, shelter, police assistance, and psychosocial counselling.

The government said that since its inception on April 1, 2015, till December 31, 2025, more than 13.37 lakh women have been assisted through OSCs.

It added that implementation rests with states and Union Territories, with periodic reviews by the Programme Approval Board and third-party evaluations by NITI Aayog in 2020 and 2025 finding the scheme satisfactory.

Despite this, Rahul Gandhi maintained that persistent reports of gaps indicate a disconnect between official claims and ground realities.

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