Activists protest against lowering of age for consensual sex

A city-based NGO today staged a silent demonstration against the Union cabinet's nod to the proposed anti-rape bill which lowers the age for consensual sex from 18 years to 16 years.
Activists of 'Awaaz' burnt photocopies of the proposed bill and opposed the move of government alleging it will dent the basic pillars of our cultural heritage.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, which provides for stringent punishment for crimes against women, including rape, was cleared by the Union Cabinet on March 13.
The bill lowers the age of consent for sex from 18 to 16 years.
"It is an irony that the government proposes to lower the age of consensual sex to 16 when the marriageable age for girls is 18 years," said 'Awaaz' coordinator Gaurav Goel.

Another member of the organisation Varun Giri claimed the decision, if implemented, will lead to degradation of society and ruining of moral values.
Terming the decision as regressive, he claimed the decision will lead to increase in cases of rape instead of curbing such cases.