‘Sexually Molested at 13’: Derek O’Brien During POCSO Debate in RS

Derek recalled that he did not speak about the incident for several years.

TMC Leader Derek O’Brien.

(Photo: PTI)

Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Derek O' Brien on Wednesday, 24 July recalled his childhood trauma of being "molested" in a bus in Kolkata while speaking on a bill which provides for death penalty for aggravated sexual assaults on children.

While "happily and strongly" supporting the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the Rajya Sabha, the former well known quizmaster also suggested more and more people in public life come out and speak about sexual abuses.

He said children should be encouraged to speak up and not hide incidents wherein they have been traumatised in this manner.

“With a lot of pride and sadness and hurt, but I think India needs to know because my family knows, that on a bus in Kolkata as a 13-year-old after doing tennis practice, wearing short pants and a T-shirt, I got on to a crowded bus and I don’t know who it was, but with my short pants and T-shirt I was sexually molested.”

Derek O’Brien, TMC leader

The senior TMC member recalled that he did not speak about the incident for several years, and brought it up with his parents much later in the life.

RS Passes POCSO (Amendment) Bill, 2019

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill entailing amendments to the POCSO Act by including death penalty for aggravated sexual assault on children, besides providing stringent punishments for other crimes against minors.

Now the bill would be send to the Lok Sabha for its approval.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019 also provides for fines and imprisonment to curb child pornography.

It was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday by Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani.

Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet approved amendments to strengthen the POCSO Act to combat rising cases of child sex abuse.

Cong, AIADMK Leaders Rally for POSCO Amendments

Rising to support the bill, Congress leader Vivek K Tankha said, "I welcome the bill. But the stringent provisions are not stopping such incidents."

AIADMK leader Vijila Sathyananth also supported the bill and demanded chemical castration of convicts who do such heinous crimes.

She also demanded that the budget allocated by the government under the women and child development be fully utilised as despite making provision of good amounts, the funds remain largely unutilised.

Sarojini Hembram of the BJD supported the bill and said social media and television were negatively impacting the minds of children.

She said school children should be educated on a ‘good touch, bad touch’ and that imparting self defence training was essential.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)