Pune bus rape case: Congress, NCP (SP) demand implementation of Shakti bill

Mumbai, Feb 28 (PTI) The Congress and NCP (SP) on Friday raised concerns over the rape of a woman inside a bus in Pune and demanded that the Maharashtra government implement the Shakti bill, which has provisions for the death penalty for atrocities against children and women.

Talking to reporters, former state home minister and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh said the Shakti bill, which has provisions for strict punishment for crimes against women, was introduced and passed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government four years ago and is still pending approval from the Central government.

''There has been no further update on this front. The Pune bus rape case has once again raised concerns about women's safety. The existing laws in Maharashtra have no provision for capital punishment in such cases. When I was the Home minister, I went to Andhra Pradesh to study the law to prevent atrocities against women along with senior officials," he said.

He said the Shakti bill was framed and passed in the state legislature, and members of all parties were part of the legislature standing committee to examine the provisions before its passage.

Both the House of Maharashtra legislature had passed the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020, and the Special Court & Machinery for Implementation of Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law, 2020, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was in power.

Deshmukh further claimed that 1,500 cases of crime against women were reported in the state in the last two years.

He said the chief minister has several portfolios with him and was unable to do justice to the home department, and the state needs an independent home minister.

Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the non-implementation of the Shakti bill is the Mahayuti government's failure.

''The President's assent for the act has not been given, and now the bill passed by the state legislature will be withdrawn. We demand that the government make amendments to the bill and ensure its passage during the budget session, which begins on March 3,'' he told reporters in Nagpur.

Wadettiwar criticised Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam for making statements regarding the victim of the Pune bus rape case.

Kadam had earlier said there was no argument or use of force in the crime, and everything happened silently. So people around could not be alerted.

''The minister is shielding the accused. Do the chief minister and deputy chief ministers agree with such comments?'' Wadettivar asked.

He said since the chief minister is taking review meetings of all departments, he must take stock of crimes against women in the last 100 days. PTI MR ARU

Source: PTI