Make sons more responsible: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the promulgation of an ordinance on rape demonstrated his government’s determination to act on the issue, but stressed that people had to respect their daughters and make their sons more responsible for an atmosphere of safety.
Modi also pitched for a social movement to ensure the safety of women and girls while addressing a rally here.
“Shivraj Ji (Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan) just referred to the capital punishment provided in the ordinance for rape against minors, and I could see that it (the remark) received cheers from everyone present here,” he said.
“There is a government in Delhi which listens to your voice and takes decisions. So, the Centre has made a provision for capital punishment to the monstrous intent,” he said while referring to the recent ordinance.
The Union Cabinet on April 21 approved the ordi- nance under which the death penalty could be awarded to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years of age, amid a nation-wide outrage over cases of sexual assault and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a teenager in Unnao. Modi, however, called upon the people to create an atmosphere for the safety of daughters.
“Families will have to enhance the honour and respect of daughters. Families should also make their sons more responsible,” he said while addressing the National Panchayati Raj Sammelan at Ramnagar in the tribal-dominated Mandla district.
“In this way, the safety of daughters would not be a difficult task. We have to launch a social movement in this direction,” he said.
He also talked about the welfare of tribals and farmers and asked the elected representatives of Panchayats to educate villagers to become self-dependent in farming.
The prime minister also urged the panchayat representatives to spend NREGA funds during April, May and June only on works related to water conservation.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday approved an ordinance providing death penalty for the rape of children below 12 while also shifting the 'burden of proof' on the accused in such cases, a development that comes in the wake of outrage over the Kathua rape and murder case.
The state government, which issued a second ordinance to make the trial victim-friendly, has also added provisions to ensure a timebound probe and fast track trial in cases of such crimes, a minister said.
Only last week, the Centre had brought an ordinance to amend the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In cases of rape, where the victim is a child up to the age of 12, we have provided for death penalty to those found guilty, Jammu and Kashmir Law Minister Abdul Hak Khan told reporters here today.
The state Cabinet, which met under Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, approved two ordinances to provide stringent punishment including death penalty for those convicted of rape of minor girls, the minister said.
"One ordinance is the criminal law ordinance 2018, in which enhancement of punishment in rape victim cases is provided and the second is Jammu and Kashmir protection of children from sexual violence ordinance," Khan said.
We are amending the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) criminal procedure and evidence act, Khan, who flanked by State Finance Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari, said.