Hyderabad: Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to amend the laws and make capital punishment applicable to those convicted of crimes against women and remove the option to review the death sentence.
In a series of posts on Twitter, the TRS working president said the time had come to amend the “archaic laws that let perpetrators of violence against children and women go scot free.”
His appeal comes a day after Union minister of state G. Kishan Reddy said the Centre was proposing an amendment to the law to take the High Court out of the ambit when convicts are sentenced to death in cases of crimes against women.
Tagging the Prime Minister in his tweets, Mr Rama Rao said, ‘7 years after Nirbhaya’s ghastly rape and murder, the convicts are still not hung!’ He mentioned a recent High Court order commuting the death sentence given to K. Praveen to life sentence for the rape and murder of a nine-month-old girl child in Hanamkonda in June last year. The court had said that the life sentence until death would give the convict a chance to reform.
Another of Mr Rama Rao’s tweets said, “A young veterinarian is barbarically murdered in Hyderabad. Let us act swiftly to save our nation from these beasts who seem not to fear law of the land.”
“Narendra Modi Ji, I appeal to you on behalf of millions of citizens who’re aggrieved, yet feel helpless and want us lawmakers to rise up to the occasion and deliver expeditious justice,” Mr Rama Rao said.
He wanted the Centre to amend the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure in such a way that anyone who commits a heinous act of violence on women and children is given the capital punishment with no option for review.
“Time has come to amend archaic portions of our Acts and Laws Sir (sic),” he wrote. Citing the P Priyanka Reddy incident, he wondered how one could comfort the grieving family.
“The perpetrators have been nabbed. But I wonder how we can offer solace to the grieving family seeking justice for Priyanka Reddy. Justice delayed is justice denied Sir. As the Parliament is in session, I urge you to take up the issue for a day-long discussion on priority (sic),” Mr Rama Rao said in the tweet.
