Gehlot terms law on hanging of rape culprit a dangerous trend

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat criticised Ashok Gehlot’s statement, calling it “unfortunate”. “In the last three years, Rajasthan has become the center for atrocities against young innocent girls. Nothing can be more unfortunate than those changing the subject by making controversial statements to hide their failures, he said. In a video that has been shared by the Delhi Commission for Women’s chief, Swati Jaihind, the Rajasthan chief minister can be heard saying: “After the Nirbhaya incident the convicts are now hanged to death. This has led to an increase in the killings of girls. The accused - after the sexual assault - kills the victim so that there is no witness. I have observed a countrywide trend that this is happening." This is a dangerous trend, said Gehlot.

Swati Jaihind strongly criticised Gehlot's remark. “No matter how much this comment is criticised, it would be less. Today girls are being brutally raped in the country. The law came into existence with great difficulty after hunger strikes. Such statements of politicians break the morale of every victim. The job of leaders is to ensure women's safety, and not to make unnecessary statements.” The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, was introduced after the 2012 Delhi gang rape case. In this act, Section 376E was added to award the death penalty to a convict who is a repeat offender under Section 376, 376A, and 376D. As per a report by The Hindu, Section 376A includes causing the death of the victim, and 376D is to charge the convict with gang rape — an offence that carries a sentence of 20 years to life.