Reactions Pour In After Death Penalty Ordinance for Child Rapists

Who has welcomed the death penalty ordinance and who is against it? Read to find out.

Journalists, lawyers and activists react to the cabinet and President Ram Nath Kovind giving the nod to the death penalty ordinance for those convicted of raping children below the age of 12 yesterday.

While some have welcomed the government decision, there have been others who vehemently oppose the government ordinance, calling it detrimental and uncivilised.

Those Who’ve Spoken Against

The Centre for Death Penalty at National Law University spoke against the passing of the ordinance.

The issue of child sexual abuse has sadly been limited to punishment for the perpetrators, instead of actually considering implementation of POCSO. As child rights groups have said, death penalty will worsen undereporting as 94% of the offenders are known to the victim.

— NLUD Death Penalty (@deathpen_nlud) April 22, 2018

Advocate Karuna Nandy and author and feminist Taslima Nasreen both tweeted against the ordinance:

Why I oppose the death penalty for rape, and believe it gives government a free pass on doing the hard work actually required to protect children. #RapeRoko https://t.co/K4eZ0EzpSd

— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) April 21, 2018

death penalty should be abolished. prisons should turn to be correctional centers.

— taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) April 22, 2018

Journalists Hartosh Singh Badal, Shekhar Gupta, Aunindyo Chakravarty as well as the columnist Ashutosh, spoke against it, for different reasons.

law prof asked the other day, why is everyone talking of death penalty & none of police reform.
investment in police training, recruitment & equipment, works. but takes time, sounds boring, doesn't interest citizens hence politicians
death penalty is catchy, achieves nothing

— Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) April 22, 2018

Death penalty for child rapists is just cynical old “Lawlipop Politics.” When asked tough questions, respond with another law. Existing laws are strong enough. Problem, as in Kathua, is fair & speedy enforcement

— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) April 21, 2018

When I was a teenager, I instinctively supported death penalty for rapists. My neighbour, the late Lotika Sarkar, arguably India's first anti-rape activist, told me why the death penalty was a bad idea - it will ensure the rapist kills the victim to remove the key witness.

— Aunindyo Chakravarty (@AunindyoC) April 21, 2018

Columnist Ashutosh put the image of an article on Twitter with the headline ‘The father of ‘Nirbhaya law’ opposed death penalty’ and added that the death penalty cannot feature in a civilised society.

Justice J S Verma called death penalty to rapists a regressive step. Death is deterrent is a myth. Civilised society should have no place for capital punishment. pic.twitter.com/5gaUaa3GM3

— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) April 22, 2018

Columnist Shivam Vij has come down hard on the government, tweeting that the death penalty ordinance was nothing more than a gimmick.

Death penalty for child rapists is a gimmick meant to show the government is doing something, after having looked the other way when BJP leaders and ministers were supporting the rapists. https://t.co/PUaG6Brf6H

— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) April 22, 2018

Brinda Karat also clarified her party’s stance against death penalty, “The CPI-M is in principal against the death penalty in principal,” she said adding that she believes the BJP is sheltering rapists, "We have heard about gau rakshaks and criminal activities which they indulged in. Today BJP is preparing and has prepared bands of men who are rapist rakshaks," she said and demanded that penalty should exist for those protecting the rapists.

Those Who’ve Welcomed It

Amongst those who welcomed the decision was columnist Shefali Vaidya, who welcomed the government’s changed to the POSCO Act.

Welcome move by @narendramodi govt to make changes to POCSO act seeking death penalty to perps who rape a child under 12. Though, am guessing the same people who are baying for the blood of the accused in the #Kathua case 2day will be the first ones to protest against this!

— Shefali Vaidya (@ShefVaidya) April 21, 2018

Sonam Mahajan, who identifies herself as a TV panelist, demanded the death penalty for all rapists, not just child rapists. She tweeted:

What Kathua case could make the govt do in less than 15 days, Assam couldn't make them do in years. Finally, we have arrived but why only death penalty for child rapists? Why not for all the rapists?#DeathForChildRapists

— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) April 21, 2018

Amongst the people who’ve spoken in favour of the death penalty ordinance are BJP leaders and members of the cabinet like Kiren Rijiju and Piyush Goyal.

The Union Cabinet approved an Ordinance to provide death penalty for rapists of girls. Rape is an act of heinous crime not merely a law & order issue. The whole society must come together to correct the mindset that leads to such brutal incidents. pic.twitter.com/cWKzPMBR56

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) April 21, 2018

PM @NarendraModi delivers on his promise of justice to every daughter of India. Approves an ordinance giving death penalty to child rapists. Also ensures, stringent punishment be meted out to perpetrators of rape, particularly girls below 16 years. #DeathForChildRapists

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 21, 2018

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh from Congress also hailed the move.

Am all for Death for Rapists of minor children. Such men deserve no mercy and I welcome the Ordinance passed by the Union Cabinet today. Exemplary and deterrent punishment is the need of the hour.

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) April 21, 2018

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)

(The Quint is now on WhatsApp. To receive handpicked stories on topics you care about, subscribe to our WhatsApp services. Just go to TheQuint.com/WhatsApp and hit send)