Home Ministry should address acid attacks: Maneka Gandhi

The cases of acid attacks is an issue which should be addressed by the Home Ministry and not Women and Child Development, minister Maneka Gandhi said.

She was speaking here on Friday at the launch of the Hindi book "Acid Wali Ladki" by Pratibha Jyoti.

On being asked by one of the acid attack survivors, as to why the government was not doing anything to monitor acid attacks, the Women and Child Development (WCD) minister said: "This doesn't come under my ministry. It is for the Home Ministry to address the issue. I will definitely try for solutions."

"It makes me extremely angry when I hear of such cases. The vulgarity of such actions is frightening. After the 16 December case, laws have been made more stringent," she said.

"I unfortunately don't have solutions to this major issue. Thus, I can't offer anything. But I look forward to suggestions from survivors and the author. If you all can suggest something, I'd definitely want to contribute," she added.

Also present at the occasion, Manipur Governor Najam Heptullah said: "A strict law for acid attacks, carrying punishment of life imprisonment, needs to be drafted. In such cases verdict should be given immediately by the court."

The author Pratibha Jyoti, a journalist by proffesion, said her book has nothing to do with the skill of writing and is aimed to address the major issue of acid attacks widespread in the country.

Explaining the title, she said, "it is shameful to know that people recognise these girls as 'Acid wali ladki' (the girl who was attacked with acid). The identity of a woman is taken away from her after such accidents."

The book is soon going to be translated and released in English.

--IANS

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