Prime Minister, chief minister, other politicians say justice served

nNEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said justice had prevailed after four men convicted of the rape and murder of a woman on December 16, 2012, in Delhi were hanged on Friday, more than seven years after they committed the brutal crime that shook the country.

“Justice has prevailed. It is of utmost importance to ensure dignity and safety of women,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

“Our Nari Shakti has excelled in every field. Together, we have to build a nation where the focus is on women empowerment, where there is emphasis on equality and opportunity,” he added.

Mukesh Singh, Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma were hanged simultaneously inside Tihar Jail number 3 at 5.30am for the gang rape and murder of the 23-year-old physiotherapy student in a moving bus, Tihar director-general Sandeep Goel said.

With the four convicts’ death on Friday, political parties said that justice was finally served. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that all government authorities should pledge to come together and not let this happen again.

“Seven years later, [the] convicts were hanged today. It is a day to take a pledge that we will not let this happen again. Police, courts, the state government, the central government—everyone has to take a pledge that together we will remove the loopholes in the system and will not let this happen to any daughter in future,” tweeted Kejriwal.

Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, leader of the opposition in the Delhi assembly, said, “There was some delay in the decision but ultimately justice prevailed. The BJP is happy with this decision and stands with the woman’s family. This decision will become an example and will prove to be a milestone in the direction of the safety and security of women.”

The Congress, too, said that it was a lesson for others. “Though there was a delay, her mother has got justice. This is a big lesson for those who commit heinous crimes,” tweeted Anil Chaudhary, Delhi Congress president.