'Court order on Nirbhaya convicts decisive milestone in stopping violence against women'

The Congress on Monday said the court order issuing fresh death warrants for the Nirbhaya case convicts' execution comes as a "decisive milestone" in stopping violence against women in the country.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the victim of the December 16, 2012 Delhi gang rape, better known as Nirbhaya, is considered a symbol of women's empowerment in the country and every time there is an attacck on a female people compare it with Nirbhaya and remember the gory incident.

He claimed that the Congress party, when in power, took decisive actions and made new laws with regard to stopping crime against women.

"This is a serious matter. The decision is a warning to all those who even dream or think of committing crimes against women or daughters of the country," Surjewala said.

"The decision has come a little late, but for sexual offenders it is a comprehensive warning of the country. I am confident that this decision would prove to be a decisive milestone in stopping violence against women," he said.

Congress spokesperson R P N Singh said December 16 will always remain a nightmare in everyone's minds and people will remember the huge protests that followed the gruesome incident.

Singh, who was Minister of State for Home at the time of the incident, said he had ensured that a section of protesters met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and after receiving a lot of suggestions a new law to give fast punishment to culprits of sexual crimes was passed.

"I think that has been a record.. the kind of sections that were brought about in those amendments," Singh said.

"There were cases of stalking, cases of eve-teasing, every new law to protect women was brought about and I think that was one of the most historical laws that were brought about in fifteen-days time. Unfortunately, as far as the Nirbhaya case is concerned, the judgment has taken a very long time. I think this government has to take steps for getting its perpetrators punished fast," he said.

The Congress leader said Monday's court verdict will serve as a "milestone" reminding sexual offenders that they will not be spared and a deterrent to people who carry out sexual offences.

He added that the present government "has to do something if these processes are repeated".

A Delhi court on Monday ordered that the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case be hanged on March 3 after it issued fresh death warrants, observing that deferring the execution any further would be "sacrilegious" to the rights of the victim for expeditious justice.

The court directed that the four men -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31) -- be hanged by neck on March 3 at 6 am until they are dead. It is for the third time that the death warrants were issued by the court against them.