Govt hints at death...

“The government will take immediate steps for amendment of the criminal law for enhanced and more effective punishment in the rarest of rare cases of sexual assault,” Shinde declared.

Asked if this meant the noose, information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari suggested the phase "rarest of rare" was only used in a particular context, an oblique reference to Supreme Court judgments on invoking the death penalty in the rarest of rare cases of murder.

Government sources indicated the home ministry didn't want to jump the gun before getting legal opinion and a sense of the support the move would evoke from political parties. If there are problems, the min- istry could make imprisonment for the rest of the rape convict's life the enhanced punishment.

Urging the protesters to go back home, Shinde said "the government respects the right of legitimate protest" and that he felt "bad" the police had to use force, but added that what the protesters had done was also seen by all. He promised to inquire into the police action, though.The minister firmly ruled out convening a special session of Parliament to discuss the issue, a demand raised by leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj in a telephone call to the PM earlier in the day.

"I don't think there is a need for a special session, especially when Parliament has concluded a session just a couple of days ago," he said.