Women file false rape cases, says Samajwadi Party chief
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Photo: PTI
New Delhi/Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav unleashed a fresh storm of outrage after he suggested that the death penalty be done away with in the new law on rape, with the National Commission for Women targeting him for an “inappropriate” remark.
NCW chief Mamta Sharma said she had taken suo moto cognisance, and the NCW will serve notice to Mr Yadav.
Speaking at a rally in Moradabad on Thursday, Mr Yadav appeared to question the death sentence for the convicts in the Shakti Mills gangrape case, and said: “Should rape cases be punished with hanging? They are boys, they make mistakes — ladke hai, galti ho jaati hai.”
In the SP’s manifesto, Mr Yadav has promised to check “large-scale misuse” of tough anti-rape laws introduced after the gang-rape of a woman on a Delhi bus in December 2012. He said that if his party came to power, he would get the existing laws amended.
Mulayam Singh Yadav said: “Boys and girls... have differences... later the girl goes and gives a statement that ‘I was raped’. Then the poor fellows, three of them have been sentenced to death.” He also promised to “ensure punishment of those who report false cases”.
Calling it a “politically motivated” statement, Ms Sharma said: “This shows his mindset. At a time when all are concerned about women’s safety, it is unfortunate that he has come out with a politically motivated statement. How can he play politics over such a sensitive issue?” “Mr Yadav should withdraw his statement. How can a sane person call rape as ‘just a mistake’?” she said.
Mr Yadav’s statement has led to filing of complaints against him with the Election Commission and the NCW. Incidentally, Mr Yadav had opposed the new anti-rape law when it was being discussed in Parliament. He had opposed stalking being made a criminal offence, and had argued that these could be used to implicate men in fake cases.
Incidentally, the SP manifesto says: “There is a large-scale misuse of laws, including anti-dowry, SC/ST (Atrocities Prevention) Act and the new anti-rape law that came into existence after the Nirbhaya rape case. The SP is in favour of implementing them strictly but, at the same time, will initiate strict action against those misusing them.”
( Source : dc correspondents )
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