Lucknow: After the Uttar Pradesh government announced to prepare a proposal to ask Centre to award death penalty to rapists, opposition parties on Friday termed the move as “hypocritical”, saying that it’s the same Yogi government which had withdrawn the rape and kidnapping case against former union minister Swami Chinmayananda.
“BJP is adopting dual standards on all serious issues. On one hand central government files affidavit in Supreme Court that death penalty should not be awarded in rape cases, on the other hand, the state government is proposing death penalty,” said Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi.
Pointing at the Chinmayanand case, Awasthi said, “Despite the matter being subjudice in court, the government is rolling back the rape case. Their dual standard stands exposed.”
Nearly 10 days ago, UP cabinet minister Siddhartnath Singh had announced that the government has decided to withdraw the case against Chinmayanand, who had allegedly kept a girl in captivity in Haridwar ashram and had allegedly raped her in 2011.
According to news reports, a letter was sent to the district administration on March 6 on behalf of the government in this regard. Subsequently, the Shahjahanpur administration had written on March 9 to the prosecution officer of the case to withdraw the case.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sunil Singh Sajan said, “This is nothing but mere ‘dhong’ (drama) of the government. If they are really serious about controlling crime against women, then they should punish their own leaders and MLAs first. We all have seen how the government tried to save BJP MLA in Unnao rape case.”
The decision to seek capital punishment for rapists comes weeks after UP government faced public wrath over delayed action in Unnao rape case.
“From beat constable to the SP -- all should be made accountable and answerable. The senior officials should keep an eye and ensure immediate action against those found guilty of laxity. The police should also do foot patrolling and establish dialogue with people. Those having dubious past should not be made SHOs,” chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, while proposing death penalty for rapists.
Pointing out that it is necessary for the rapists to get strict punishment, the chief minister said, “We are going to send a letter to the Centre to make necessary amendments to award capital punishment to rapists.”
Chief minister Yogi, who also holds the Home portfolio, had accepted in a written reply to the legislative assembly that crimes against women had indeed risen in the past one year.
According to the reply given on March 13, there has been a 25% increase in rapes, 40% rise in incidents of outraging the modesty, 35% jump in cases of kidnappings of women, and a 50% increase in cases of eve teasing between April 1, 2017, and January 31, 2018, from the corresponding period in 2016-17 under the then Samajwadi Party government.
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