Rape victim's family 'not against' naming law after her

The family of the Delhi gang-rape victim on Wednesday said it had no objection to naming the proposed new anti-rape law after the victim, a day after Union minister Shashi Tharoor mooted this proposal.

With Tharoor’s suggestion triggering a debate, the home ministry gave indications that the revised law, which is expected to be stringent and facilitate speedier justice, is unlikely to be named after the 23-year-old victim of gang rape, who died last Saturday, after battling for life for nearly two weeks.

Tharoor’s view was echoed by former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati. The Bahujan Samaj Party supremo suggested an all-party meet be convened for this purpose.

“If the government names the revised anti-rape law after her, we have no objection and it would be an honour to her,” the father and brother of the girl told PTI, at their ancestral village in Ballia in Uttar Pradesh.

Home ministry officials said the Indian Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code do not have a provision for naming any law after an individual.

CII steps in with a task force
Adi Godrej, president, Confederation of Indian Industry, on Wednesday announced that the industry body had set up a task force led by its former president Subodh Bhargava, who headed Tata Communications as its chairman, to consult with civil society, students and women’s groups along with industry on women’s safety.

The release said that “crimes against women are of deep concern to every citizens of the country, which needs to be contained quickly and efficiently. Industry feels strongly that everyone should be safe through maintenance of good law and order.”

"No law has been named after any person in India. Neither the IPC nor the CrPC provides for that. One has to see the case in national perspective. The issue has wide repercussion while registering offences. This girl has been a catalyst to the changes but naming is not an option," an official said here.

Tharoor, the Minister of State for Human Resources Development, had yesterday favoured making public the identity of the gang-rape victim wondering what interest was served by keeping her name under wraps.

He also said the revised anti-rape legislation should be named after the victim if her parents do not have any objection.

Congress had said Tharoor's suggestion was his personal view while BJP said naming or keeping the victim's identity a secret is not the main issue in framing of a revised anti-rape law.