Outrage over Mumbai photojournalist gangrape resonates in LS

The outrage over the Mumbai gangrape of a young photojournalist resonated in Lok Sabha today with members voicing concern that such incidents continue despite laws being made stringent, a view shared by the government.

As members from various parties expressed anguish, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said a report has been sought from the state government on the incident and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will make a statement in the House on Monday.

Nath said despite stringent laws, such crimes continued to take place.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Gopinath Munde (BJP) said the Centre should seek a report from the state government and a statement should be made in the House as law and order situation in Maharashtra was bad.

Members from treasury benches objected to his remarks.

Munde said besides the gangrape, there have been several cases of crime against women in the state which have remained unsolved so far.

He said no money has been sanctioned so far for the proposed Rs 1000-crore Nirbhaya fund announced by the Centre a few months ago.

When Sougata Roy (TMC) raised the gangrape issue, some Congress members were heard saying that he should be worried about similar cases taking place in his party-ruled West Bengal.

He said the accused in all cases of crime against women have been arrested by the West Bengal police.