Raj assembly passes anti-lynching bill

The Rajasthan legislative assembly on Monday passed a Bill providing for life imprisonment and a fine from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to those convicted in cases of mob lynching leading to victim's death.

'The Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill, 2019' was passed by the Vidhan Sabha by a voice vote amid vociferous protest by the opposition BJP, which wanted the Bill to be referred to a select committee.

The Bill was introduced by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal in the state assembly last week.

Responding to the debate on the bill, Dhariwal on Monday told the House that the Indian Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code have provisions to deal with the cases of mob lynching incidents, they are not adequate.

Accordingly, the government has brought the Bill to provide for stricter punishment to curb such incidents.

Mentioning the Supreme Court's recommendation to enact a law against the incidents of mob lynching, the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill said, "It is proposed to nip the evil in the bud and to prevent spreading of hatred or incitement to mob lynching by creating special offences against such acts."