Foundation-stone by remote control

President Pranab Mukherjee laid the foundation-stone for the permanent premises of the National Commission for Women at Jasola, from a function in the Vigyan Bhavan in Lutyens Delhi. Perhaps it was an innovation worth the while, as it would have saved the people from the traffic chaos that would have been created, if the President was to travel to Jasola, which is on the capital's outskirts. Though a tokenism, it was well worth the experiment, as it marks a new line of thinking on organising functions involving VVIPs, which will avert any discomfort to the common people. Another alternative for VVIPs could be to use choppers to reach the far-flung venues. Nirbhaya Bhavan is the name given to the permanent premises of the National Commission for Women, after the 23-year-old para-medical student was gang-raped and subjected to brutal violence. She succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment in Singapore. At the function, the President expressed anguish over the apathy of the people, saying, "The barbaric act perpetrated on women is not just a matter of law and force, but also of the society's apathetic attitude. Whenever a woman is subjected to violence, people around show their apathy and aloofness. It is depravity of human nature."