Rising cases of rape: Centre says ready to explore stringent

Lok Sabha members on Monday expressed outrage over rape cases in various parts of the country, including the Hyderabad rape and murder case, even as the Centre said it was ready for a discussion and willing to explore stringent provisions in laws to check such incidents.

Responding to a discussion during Zero Hour in the wake of the rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was falling short of words to condemn the heinous crime.

"We are ready for discussions in the House so that stringent provisions in laws could be explored to give punishment to those involved in such ghastly incidents," he said.

The minister said the incident has hurt everyone.

He observed that such heinous crimes were happening even after strict law were framed post the Nirbhaya incident.

As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Om Birla said he would allow members to raise the "serious issue" in the Zero Hour.

Terming the rape of the young veterinarian in Hyderabad as "painful" and an "inhuman" incident, Uttam Kumar Reddy (INC) slammed the Telangana Home Minister for his purported "insensitive" remarks.

He also slammed the state police for the delay in lodging a case.

It also blamed the sale of liquor in Telangana for the unfortunate incident and demanded that fast track court should pronounced a quick verdict and hang the accused.

T R Baalu (DMK) raised the issue of sexual assault of a school girl in Coimbatore.

Those involved in the crime should be punished, Baalu said, adding the government should come forward and ensure time-bound action.

Terming the rape of the veterinarian as a "heinous crime", Saugata Roy (TMC) said even after the enactment of strict laws after the Nirbhaya case, rapes were still taking place.

He was of the view that the House should take cognisance of this serious incident and urged the Centre to immediately frame laws to make rape punishable by death sentence.

Observing that such brutal incidents create a bad atmosphere across the country, Bandi Sanjay Kumar (BJP) was of view that when such incidents take place "we need to implement punishment on the spot."
Terming the incident as a "shameful act", Kotha Prabhakar Reddy (TRS), said "We need to bring an act to curb such incidents."