AGENCIES / NEW DELHI
Growing violence against women across the country and particularly in places like Unnao and Hyderabad echoed in the Lok Sabha today with members urging stringent provisions in the law to punish the guilty expeditiously.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of Congress said incidents of gender violence against women are coming out more frequently and sought strict actions against the guilty. He took exception to the Unnao accused securing bail easily and setting the victim on fire.
His remarks that on the one hand Ram Mandir is being built and on the other Sita Devis are being set on fire, evoked strong reactions from the treasury benches.
The BJP members took exception to bring the name of Sita Devi over the issue, saying it is unwarranted. Later, the Congress and the DMK members staged a walkout from the House against rampant violence against women.
Union Minister Smriti Irani said gender violence against women should not be politicised. She mentioned that rape and murder has been used as a political tool in West Bengal during civic polls, leading the TMC members to raise on their feet.
Ms Irani said respect to women and their safety are not communal subjects. She pointed out that 123 fast track courts have been established to expedite justice in cases against women and children.
Meenakshi Lekhi of the BJP said, out of the 130 crore population, there are some bad elements committing such crimes and stressed that reporting of such crimes should be handled in a sensitive manner.
Kunwar Danish Ali of BSP asked how the Unnao rape accused got bail easily. Anubhav Mohanty of the BJD said religious tones should not be attributed to such heinous crimes. Soukata Roy of AITC suggested making necessary amendments in legislations in such a manner that exemplary punishments are handed out to the guilty expeditiously.
Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena asked the Lok Sabha Speaker to set up a committee consisting of women and other members of Parliament to look into ways to expedite justice delivery so that multiple opportunities to go on appeal in such cases could be curtailed.
Anupriya Patel of the Apna Dal said, there must be the fear of law in matters relating to women’s safety and favoured a national dialogue on the subject.