Juvenile Justice Act amendment questioned
Chennai: A day after the Union Cabinet gave its approval for a proposal to try juveniles in the age group of 16-18 years accused of heinous crimes under laws for adults, activists condemned the decision saying that the amendments will severely undermine efforts made at rehabilitating juveniles.“It is a regressive move. If the amendment is enforced, a juvenile going to jail at 16 will most likely come out as a hardened criminal. We should not turn a child into a criminal but should make efforts to reform them,” said Tamil Nadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO) state convener M. Andrew Sesuraj.
The proposed amendment is being made in the Juvenile Justice Act following public uproar over the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder, where one of the juveniles accused escaped the noose and got away lightly, by being tried before the JJ Board which can only grant a maximum of three years punishment.Mr Sesuraj noted that the recommendation of the Justice Verma Committee which looked into laws relating to sex offences in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya gangrape, advocated against reduction of juvenile age to 16 years.
“Our jails do not have reformatory and rehabilitation policies. We do not engage with inmates as human beings. We do not bring about transformation. We breed more criminals including juveniles in our prisons and reformatory system by ghettoing them in juvenile homes and protective homes where they are told that the state will protect and provide for them, but which promise is a fruitless one,” he said.
Urging the PM to reconsider it decision, he demanded the Centre to increase the age of children covered under the Right to Education Act to 18 years from 14 years. “The children were left out of RTE Act after 14 years and the government has no mandate to address the needs of the children who are on the verge of becoming adults. This keeps the children especially the children between 15-18 years with no proper engagement and mentoring,” he noted.
Human Rights activist A. Marx said that the proposed amendment to reduce the age of juveniles goes against the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in which India being a signatory. Pointing out that the ruling BJP has been demanding for the amendment even when it was in the Opposition, he said it only shows the party’s inhumane approach.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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