BJP wants death sentence for rape, sends recommendations to Verma panel

Reiterating the demand for death sentence to people convicted of sexually assaulting women, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent detailed 13-point recommendations to the three-member J S Verma committee, suggesting the government change the definition of rape and also consider changing the age of a juvenile from 18 to 16 years.

During the large-scale demonstrations in the national capital over the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student last month, senior BJP leaders had demanded the government convene a special session of Parliament and change the laws dealing with rape and crime against women. Most students who were on the streets of Delhi had demanded death sentence for rape.

“A person convicted for gang rape, custodial rape, rape committed after kidnapping or abduction must be punished unto death. The definition of rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) must be changed to sexual assault which is not restricted to rape,” said Nitin Gadkari, BJP president, in his letter to Verma. The Union government has asked all political parties to send their recommendations to the committee at the earliest.

Gadkari also stated in his letter the committee should also consider the suggestions of the 172nd Law Commission, which had proposed a new provision in the penal code where “unlawful sexual contact” would also be considered an offence.

The BJP leadership has also proposed that government should consider changing the definition of “juvenile” under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. BJP suggested the new definition of juvenile be “a person who has not completed 16 years” rather than 18 years, as stated by the law at present.

Gadkari, after holding detailed discussions with other senior leaders of the party, has said in his letter the government should also provide compensation, rehabilitation and protection to victims because rape is a “life-altering event”. BJP also wants the government to provide security to witnesses. “Special courts dealing solely with the offence of sexual assault must be set up to grant speedy justice to the victim. There must be provision of camera trial of these offences. It must be made mandatory that a statement of victim is recorded in the presence of a woman police officer,” Gadkari said in his letter.

Senior BJP leaders also want the government to propose a new provision in IPC to deal with cases of acid throwing because there is an increase in such crimes in the country.