The seminar was organised to generate awareness on domestic violence, but none of the persons appointed by the state as protection officers or service providers under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005 were present. Instead, students and teachers from the nearby Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Chaura Maidan were called in to swell up the gathering.

The two NGOs that participated in the seminar — Help and Sparsh (working for women empowerment and jail inmates), too, have no record of playing any direct role in supporting the implementation of the Act.

Abrar lashed out at the chairperson of State Women Commission, Ambika Sood, in the course of an interaction with the media and said, “Despite repeated requests from our side, she did not turn up for the seminar on an issue which is increasingly attracting attention of law-enforcing agencies. This shows the lack of seriousness and sensitivity on part of the state commission.”