Lalu Prasad reveals Delhi gang-rape victim's name

"I went to meet the family of the victim in Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) and the father related how the young girl was subjected to barbarism. He revealed his daughter's name to me," said Lalu before mentioning the name of the victim to the audience.

"So long as a rape victim is alive you cannot mention her name, but in this case she is no more," added Prasad while addressing an interactive programme on women's empowerment organised by the FICCI Ladies Organisation here.

Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar this month had opined that the law was not in favour of revealing the identity of the victim.

Citing examples of Arab countries where criminals are stoned to death, Lalu Prasad demanded the culprits should be hanged and called for stronger laws and stringent punishment for rape and other crimes against women.

"Our party has always been advocating for punishment for rapists and in the next session of parliament we will put pressure on the government to amend the respective laws and provide death for rape," he said.

"If Raavan can be killed for abducting Sita, then why can't these inhumans be hanged. Unless there are stringent punishment we cannot prevent crime against women," Lalu Prasad said.

He also called for stirring up a nationwide mass movement to make the people aware about women rights.

A 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist was brutally raped by six men in a moving bus in south Delhi Dec 16. She died Dec 29 in a Singapore hospital where she was airlifted for specialised treatment.