NEW DELHI : Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today moved the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, in the Rajya Sabha, pointing out that harsher punishment will be meted in cases where the victim of sexual violence died or lapsed into a vegetative coma.
Mr Shinde told members that harsh punishment of 20 years jail had been proposed for those indulging in gangrape and for repeated rape offenders. Acid attack victims for the first time had been included under the provisions.
He referred to the national outrage over the December 16, 2012 gangrape incident involving a young Delhi woman and said the Government had planned to introduce the legislation on December 4 when the events overtook it.
Subsequently the Justice J S Verma committee had also submitted its recommendations for incorporation in the Bill, he added.
Initiating the debate on the Bill, Opposition BJP member
Maya Singh demanded that the Bill be implemented in toto as women had lost sense of safety and security on the streets.
Noting the allocation of Rs 502 crore for setting up of fast track courts in the country, she said the funds had become defunct in some states due to financial crunch.
The situation was even more difficult in rural areas, where women were forced into silence out of embarrasment. In most cases there was no video recording of the trial, she lamented.
Prabha Thakur, Congress, thanked the Government for bringing the Bill with such alacrity. She preferred capital punishment for those indulging in rape of minors.
Satish Chandra Misra of the BSP said a strong anti-rape Bill was the need of the hour to instil fear among criminals.
”Today people feel they can get away after committing crimes like rape. This is because timely and strict action is not taken against such criminals.
”For example, three months have passed since the gangrape incident in Delhi and it is still not clear when the hearing in the case will begin,” Mr Misra said.
He welcomed the provisions in the Bill to punish those indulging in disrobing and stalking.
T N Seema of the CPI-M expressed dissatisfaction at the Bill’s provisions.
”Bill does not contain the substance of the Justice Verma committee.
She said there were many cases of consensual sexual activity in boys of age group between 16 and 18.
”Punishing these boys would be doing injustice,” she said.
She also wanted to know why marital rape was not included in the definition of rape.
She added that the Bill was silent on the incidents of sexual abuse by people in political and social positions.
”Many such people managed to escape the law by dint of their influence,” she said.
(AGENCIES)
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