Haryana clears Bill seeking death for rape of girls below 12 years of age

CHANDIGARH: In a move to make the law more stringent, the Haryana assembly on Thursday passed a Bill to make amendments to Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to sexual offences against women and children in the state.

The Criminal Law (Haryana amendment), Bill 2018 entails enhancement of punishment, including the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls up to 12 years of age.

Members of the opposition in the House objected to certain provisions of the amendment Bill before it was passed unanimously. It will, however, require the assent of the President to become a law.

Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Kiran Choudhry said the amendment proposing the death penalty needs another look.

“Rape is rape whether it is with grown up women or women below the age of 12. It is a violation of woman’s body. It’s worse than murder. And Haryana is now known as the rape capital of the country. The House needs to discuss this provision and remove this age cap. It will act as a big deterrent...’’ she said.

Another woman MLA, Geeta Bhukkal of t he Congress, endorsed Choudhry’s argument saying the age cap should be done away with as it could lead to killing of rape victims by the perpetrators.

Touching another aspect related to crime against women, the Congress MLA said it was disappointing to know that women complainants approaching allwomen police stations were harassed by officials and forced to enter into a compromise with the accused.

“There should be a video recording of complaints made by the women so that they cannot be coerced to get into a compromise,’’ she said.

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Parminder Singh Dhull demanded these changes should be done right away in the House.