INDIA: Outraged at the death of the victim of a brutal gang rape, India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party seeks a special session of parliament to draft and enact stringent laws for women's safety

Record ID: 1380222

  • Title: INDIA: Outraged at the death of the victim of a brutal gang rape, India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party seeks a special session of parliament to draft and enact stringent laws for women's safety
  • Date: 30th December 2012
  • Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (DECEMBER 30, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4: 3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) FEDERAL LAWMAKER AND SPOKESPERSON OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION, BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP), RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD, ARRIVING TO ADDRESS MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FEDERAL LAWMAKER AND SPOKESPERSON OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION, BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY (BJP), RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD, SAYING: "The BJP wishes
  • Embargoed: 14th January 2013 19:22
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Crime,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA83G4LQGGMLO45E0EAOSRDSOLK
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Voicing its anger over the death of the victim of a brutal gang rape in the national capital, India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded a special session of the Parliament to legislate stringent laws for women's safety on Sunday (December 30).
    The unidentified 23-year-old medical student died from her injuries on Saturday (December 29), prompting promises of action from a government that has struggled to respond to public outrage.
    The opposition disclosed their demands after a low-profile funeral for the victim.

    "The BJP wishes to assure the government that in all suitable legislative measures to strengthen laws relating to crime against women, strengthening the judicial architecture to ensure speedy justice to those who are the victims and take the action against the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, the party will cooperate with the government. The government needs to come quickly with a proper structured response and to reflect upon the serious concerns of the country. It is imperative that a special session of the Parliament be called at the earliest which we have been demanding for some time," said opposition spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.
    The victim had suffered brain injuries and massive internal injuries in the attack on December 16, and died in hospital in Singapore where she had been taken for treatment.
    She and a male friend had been returning home from the cinema, media reports say, when six men on a bus beat them with metal rods and repeatedly raped the woman. The friend survived.
    Six suspects were charged with murder after her death.
    Meanwhile at Ahmedabad in India's western state of Gujarat, Indian Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, condemned the rape and echoed the views of BJP for stronger laws to combat sex-related crimes involving women.

    "She was a very brave girl, who lost the battle of life but has become a flame-like symbol in the fight against sexual crimes against women. Until the culprits are given the death penalty and their trial speeded up in fast track courts, this movement will not cease," he said.
    The body was then taken to a crematorium and cremated. Media were kept away but a Reuters witness saw the woman's family, New Delhi's chief minister, Sheila Dikshit, and the junior home minister, R P N Singh, coming out of the crematorium.
    Security in the capital remained tight after authorities, worried about the reaction to the news of her death, had on Saturday deployed thousands of policemen and closed some roads and metro stations.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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