Rising cases of rape: Centre says ready to explore stringent provisions in law

Lok Sabha members on Monday expressed outrage over rape cases in various parts of the country, including the Hyderabad rape and murder case, even as the Centre said it was ready for a discussion and willing to explore stringent provisions in the laws to check such incidents. Responding to a discussion during Zero Hour in the wake of the rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was falling short of words to condemn the heinous crime.

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Parliamentarians on stringent provisions

"We are ready for discussions in the House so that stringent provisions in laws could be explored to give punishment to those involved in such ghastly incidents," he said.

The minister said the incident has hurt everyone. He observed that such heinous crimes were happening even after strict law were framed post the Nirbhaya incident. As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Om Birla said he would allow members to raise the "serious issue" in the Zero Hour. Terming the rape of the young veterinarian in Hyderabad as "painful" and an "inhuman" incident, Uttam Kumar Reddy (INC) slammed the Telangana Home Minister for his purported "insensitive" remarks. He also slammed the state police for the delay in lodging a case. It also blamed the sale of liquor in Telangana for the unfortunate incident and demanded that fast track court should pronounce a quick verdict and hang the accused.

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T R Baalu (DMK) raised the issue of sexual assault of a school girl in Coimbatore. Those involved in the crime should be punished, Baalu said, adding the government should come forward and ensure time-bound action. Terming the rape of the veterinarian as a "heinous crime", Saugata Roy (TMC) said even after the enactment of strict laws after the Nirbhaya case, rapes were still taking place. He was of the view that the House should take cognisance of this serious incident and urged the Centre to immediately frame laws to make rape punishable by death sentence. Observing that such brutal incidents create a bad atmosphere across the country, Bandi Sanjay Kumar (BJP) was of view that when such incidents take place "we need to implement punishment on the spot."

"How we need to respond is the debate of the day. How can we see that such incidents are checked," he said.

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Pinaki Misra (BJD) questioned the delay in executing the death sentence awarded to convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case. He said laws and establishment of fast track courts will not make a difference till the time the death sentence is not executed. "At this hour we should speak in one voice," he said. Holding that there should be "zero tolerance" towards such incidents, Supriya Sule (NCP) said even men deserve security. Terming the incident as a "shameful act", Kotha Prabhakar Reddy (TRS), said

"We need to bring an act to curb such incidents." Condemning the rape in Hyderabad, Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal) said the incident has brought shame to India. "I request the government to not keep quite. We need to send a strict message," she said.

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Vinayak Raut (Shiv Sena) also condemned the incident and said there was a need to bring a law in the ongoing session. Danish Ali (BSP) said the Telangana incident has brought shame to the country. Expressing grief over the incident, Speaker Om Birla said, "We in one voice" condemn such incidents. On November 29, four men, aged between 20 and 24, were arrested on charges of raping and killing the young woman veterinarian in Hyderabad.

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