Rapes are unfortunate but sometimes they can't be prevented: Santosh Gangwar

Even as the country is implementing stricter measures to safeguard our children and women from rape, Union Minister Santosh Gangwar on Sunday raked up controversy by trivialising the ghastly crimes.

While talking to media, the Union Minister said that in a country as big as India people should not make an issue out of one or two rape incidents.

“It is unfortunate that these incidents happen, but sometimes they cannot be prevented. The government is alert in all states and action is being taken. In a country as big as India, people shouldn’t make an issue out of one or two rape incidents,” said the junior minister in labour and employment.

His statement comes on the day President Ram Nath Kovind signed the ordinance to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a day after stringent death penalty under the Act was approved by the Union Cabinet.

With the President’s signature, the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the POCSO Act stand amended.

On Sunday, Gangwar in a series of tweets welcomed the amendments in POCSO Act, he wrote, “I welcome the provision of death penalty for rape of any girl below 12 years and increasing punishment from 10 to 20 years if a girl below 16 years is violated. This will help in bringing deterrence in society. All of us have to stand up against this crime”.

“Our government under leadership of Shree @NarendraModi ji is very sensitive and its government’s progressive step to safeguard children and women – cabinet approves ordinance to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,” Gangwar said in another tweet.

Our government under leadership of Shree @NarendraModi ji is very sensitive and its government’s progressive step to safeguard children and women – cabinet approves ordinance to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. https://t.co/LcXSbkApwm

— Santosh Gangwar (@santoshgangwar) April 22, 2018

On Saturday, the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the ordinance that introduced death penalty for rapists of children below 12 years of age.

While minimum punishment for rape has been raised to 10 years from 7 years in case of a woman, the maximum punishment has been set to life imprisonment.

The minimum punishment for rape of children under the age of 16 has been set to 20 years. Gang-rape of children below the age of 16 invites life imprisonment.

The biggest change is the introduction of death penalty for rapists who commit the heinous crime against children up to 12 years of age.

Further, all rape trials are to be completed within two months and all appeals in rape cases are to be decided within six months.

The amended Act also rejects the provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of children under 16 years of age.

The amendment came after public outcry and anger over rising incidents of crimes against children in the country, especially since the Kathua rape case.