Who among us have not followed girls? asks Sharad
20 March 2013 7:03 AM IST
Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up a Bill which provides for stringent punishment for crimes against women, including natural life term or even death for repeat offenders of rape besides various penalties for stalking, voyeurism and acid attacks.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, which seeks to replace an Ordinance promulgated on 3 February, was moved by home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in the backdrop of national outrage over the Delhi gang rape incident of 16 December.
The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Indian Evidence Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
With an aim of providing a strong deterrent against rapes and gang rapes, the proposed legislation states that an offender can be sentenced to rigourous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but which may extend to life, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life and with a fine.
It has provisions for handing out death sentence to offenders who may have been convicted earlier for such crimes.
Moving the Bill for consideration, Shinde sought the support of all parties, saying ‘let us honour the braveheart’, referring to the 23-year-old victim of gan rape by six persons in the national capital last year.
‘Time has come to send out a loud, clear and deterrent signal that the society will not tolerate such errant behaviour,’ he said, underlining that the Bill was being brought to plug loopholes in the law.
The Bill, for the first time, defines acid attack as a crime and also grants a victim the right to self-defence. It also has provisions for awarding a minimum 10-year jail term for perpetrators of the act.
BJP, SP and some others demanded that the age of consent for sex be 18 years and not 16 as envisaged in the ordinance. They contended that since the age of marriage is 18 years, the age of consent should be the same.
The Bill also provides that all hospitals shall immediately provide first aid and/or medical treatment free of cost to the victims of acid attack or rape, and failure to do so will attract punishment.
Participating in the discussion, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said provisions to make stalking and staring a crime can be misused. ‘Who among us have not followed girls,’ Yadav said evoking peels of laughter.
He asked whether the government has built necessary infrastructure like more women police stations to deal with the crime once the law came into force.
Yadav expressed concern whether women will get jobs after the law is passed. ‘People will be scared to give jobs to women,’ he said, citing the misuse of anti-dowry law.
He said SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav deliberately did not speak on the issue as he feared that he would be criticised while presenting his view point. Responding to this, the SP leader said he did not speak ‘intentionally’.
Shailendra Kumar (SP) said this law can be misused as men could be falsely implicated.
He criticised the attire worn by women in certain TV serials and films, inviting protests from film actress-turned-politician Jaya Prada, an unattached member.
Dara Singh Chauhan (BSP) said his party leader Mayawati has articulated the party’s view very well in the all-party meeting held to discuss the Bill.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, which seeks to replace an Ordinance promulgated on 3 February, was moved by home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in the backdrop of national outrage over the Delhi gang rape incident of 16 December.
The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Indian Evidence Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
With an aim of providing a strong deterrent against rapes and gang rapes, the proposed legislation states that an offender can be sentenced to rigourous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but which may extend to life, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life and with a fine.
It has provisions for handing out death sentence to offenders who may have been convicted earlier for such crimes.
Moving the Bill for consideration, Shinde sought the support of all parties, saying ‘let us honour the braveheart’, referring to the 23-year-old victim of gan rape by six persons in the national capital last year.
‘Time has come to send out a loud, clear and deterrent signal that the society will not tolerate such errant behaviour,’ he said, underlining that the Bill was being brought to plug loopholes in the law.
The Bill, for the first time, defines acid attack as a crime and also grants a victim the right to self-defence. It also has provisions for awarding a minimum 10-year jail term for perpetrators of the act.
BJP, SP and some others demanded that the age of consent for sex be 18 years and not 16 as envisaged in the ordinance. They contended that since the age of marriage is 18 years, the age of consent should be the same.
The Bill also provides that all hospitals shall immediately provide first aid and/or medical treatment free of cost to the victims of acid attack or rape, and failure to do so will attract punishment.
Participating in the discussion, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said provisions to make stalking and staring a crime can be misused. ‘Who among us have not followed girls,’ Yadav said evoking peels of laughter.
He asked whether the government has built necessary infrastructure like more women police stations to deal with the crime once the law came into force.
Yadav expressed concern whether women will get jobs after the law is passed. ‘People will be scared to give jobs to women,’ he said, citing the misuse of anti-dowry law.
He said SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav deliberately did not speak on the issue as he feared that he would be criticised while presenting his view point. Responding to this, the SP leader said he did not speak ‘intentionally’.
Shailendra Kumar (SP) said this law can be misused as men could be falsely implicated.
He criticised the attire worn by women in certain TV serials and films, inviting protests from film actress-turned-politician Jaya Prada, an unattached member.
Dara Singh Chauhan (BSP) said his party leader Mayawati has articulated the party’s view very well in the all-party meeting held to discuss the Bill.
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