Although veiling and seclusion was not a part of the Indian culture in the Vedic era, it is a menace the women of North-West India, especially Rajasthan, are still fighting against. While the battle against Ghoonghat was on, there arose another challenge for the women of Rajsthan, ‘rapes’. Rajasthan, is simply not a state for women as when young girls are getting raped, the leader of state is busy criticisng the laws and not the rapists.
Ashok Gehlot’s controversial remarks
While holding demonstrations against the Central BJP government over the unsubstantiable issues like price rise and unemployment, the Rajasthan CM of the Congress party made controversial remarks regarding heinous crimes like rape and muder.
Speaking on rape cases, Gehlot blamed the rape laws for the rise in incidents of rape. He said, “Due to the law on hanging of culprits after the Nirbhaya case, the incidents of murder after rape have increased. This is a dangerous trend being seen in the country.”
Gehlot loathes ‘rape & murder’ but rape is okay
As per Gehlot’s statement, it is after the Nirbhaya case that initiated hanging of culprits, and the incidents of murder after rape have increased. “The rapist feels that the victim will become a witness against the accused. In such a situation, the accused finds it right to kill the victim. The reports that are coming from all over the country show a very dangerous trend. The situation in the country is not good,” he added.
While Gehlot raised concerns over increasing incidents of murder after rape, he blamed the reforms of Justice Verma committee and capital punishment for rapists. However, he had no concerns for the increasing number of rapes. It seemed from his remarks that crime against women should only shake the system if the victim is murdered after rape.
Read More: Gehlot government legalizes child marriage in Rajasthan?
Dear CM Gehlot, you are simply insensitive
Rape is a heinous crime as per India’s books on laws, although leaders like Ashok Gehlot fail to recognise the same and incessetantly blame the law of the land. To add, every culprit is not awarded capital punishment in India and the ultimate discretion lies with the Judiciary to decide the quantum of punishment on case-by-case basis.
The provision for capital punishment has been introduced for a certain cohort (victim age <12 years or repeat offenders) of rape victims, it does not automatically imply that the convict will be awarded the death penalty. The Indian courts abide by the doctrine of rarest of rare case to award capital punishment to a convict. And death penalty has been awarded just in two cases in the 21st century, first in Hetal Parekh case and another in the Nirbhaya case, both of which can be secluded as the rarest of the rare cases.
The Rajasthan CM to collect political brownie points may have made unsolicited and factually incorrect remarks on death penalty, but the truth stands out different.
Rapes on rise in Gehlot’s den
While CM Gehlot is busy targeting the rape laws of India, he must turn around and have a look at the data of crimes against women in his own state. As per the data released by the NCRB for 2020, Rajasthan has registered the highest number of rape and attempt to rape cases consecutively for two years straight.
Gehlot is a history-sheeter when it comes to giving controversial statements in these matters. Earlier this year, Gehlot had linked rapes with unemployment, seeking justification for the same, while many high profile people of his own state have been accused of these heinous crimes.
Also Read: Rapes, Murder, and Child Theft: Rajasthan under Gehlot is a total mess
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