Siliguri, Dec 29: Favouring a special session of parliament on the issue, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today demanded more stringent laws against rape saying that CRPC and IPC provisions were outdated.
Expressing deep shock at the death of the 23-year old gang rape victim in Singapore, Banerjee told reporters,” There is need for more stringent laws against those who commit such crimes as the provisions of the IPC and CRPC are very old.
“We want the Centre to pass such strong laws that such incidents never occur again. Safeguards could also be incorporated to prevent its misuse,” she said.
“And, if necessary a special session of parliament can be convened on this and we will co-operate,” Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo said.
Stating that the Centre should take the initiative in this regard, she said there should be detailed discussions and opinion sought from all political parties and organisations which dealt with such issues.
“This ghastly and terrifying incident has stirred the people immensely,” Banerjee said. “The whole nation is shocked. I am also shocked. It cannot be described in words.”
She said “When such a ghastly incident occurs, time has come we should be united in our words and deeds so that those who perpetrate such deeds do not get mercy. And, they should also be boycotted socially.”
Stating that there should be greater social awareness, Banerjee claimed that such incidents did not occur as much in interior rural areas, but more often in urban and semi-urban areas.
Speaking about infrastructure to combat such crimes, she said that Delhi being the national capital had better infrastructure in comparison to states.
“In Delhi there are 700 police vans and we have only 35 in Kolkata,” she said.
“We must remember that law and order in Delhi is the Centre's responsibility. And, in Delhi many incidents have occurred in the past,” she said referring to the kidnap and killing of two children, Geeta and Sanjay Chopra, in 1978.
