Brave daughter of India, a true hero: President on gang-rape victim

Describing the 23-year-old gang-rape victim who died in Singapore as a “brave daughter of India”, President Pranab Mukherjee today said all steps to bring the perpetrators of this “ghastly crime” to justice should be taken to ensure that her death will not be in vain.

“She was a brave and courageous girl who fought till the very last minute for her dignity and her life. She is a true hero and symbolises the best in Indian youth and women...The nation will mourn the passing of this brave daughter of India,” the President said in his condolence message.

He appealed for peace and calm and called upon authorities to take all necessary steps to bring the perpetrators of this ghastly crime to justice.

The girl, who was gang-raped and brutally assaulted by six men in a moving bus in south Delhi, died in a Singapore hospital early this morning after battling for life for the past 13 days.

“Deeply distressed” by the “unfortunate demise” of the girl, he said while conveying his condolences to her parents and family who have faced this adversity with “fortitude and grace” and prayed that they have the strength to bear this loss.

“At the same time, let us resolve that this death will not be in vain. We will do everything possible to ensure that such an incident never happens again,” he said.

Eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani demanded a quick trial and punishment to the culprits of the gang-rape case.

“I hope the trial is quick and results in quick punishment. Ultimately, justice must be done...the trial should be over in two months,” said Jethmalani, a Rajya Sabha member.

He said the Government should have reached out to the protestors who had gathered at India Gate and Vijay Chowk last week.

Frame stringent laws: Mayawati

In Lucknow, BSP supremo Mayawati said the Centre should frame stringent laws for crime against women and demanded a special session of Parliament for that.

“Stringent laws should be framed to check various type of harassment of women and for their security. The Centre should take stringent measures without any delay and frame a stringent law,” she said.

Mayawati noted that when the incident took place Parliament session was under way and she had raised the issue in Rajya Sabha.

“Besides severe punishment to persons involved in such an incident, wide publicity of the punishment should be made so that such elements will think 10 times before doing so,” she said.

The BSP supremo said she had written a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard.

“I requested that there should be no delay in the law amendment and he should call a special session of Parliament. We should provide security to the women of the country at the earliest. Whatever law is framed, my party will welcome and support it openly,” she said.

“If it comes to capital punishment my party will not back down and will welcome it,” she added.

Mayawati said along with the Centre, which has to fulfill its responsibility, other states specially Uttar Pradesh should learn a lesson.

“When such an incident takes place in any State it is widely covered in the media, but after that nothing comes,” she said.

The BSP supremo alleged that since SP has came to power, crime was on the rise and women were not safe.

She alleged that almost 10 months have passed since SP has come to power and in this period almost 1500 cases of rape have been reported.

Attacking UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati said that before announcing financial assistance to the Delhi rape victim, he should introspect what was happening in the State.

“Everyone has the right to condemn the Delhi incident and even UP CM did so...we are not against it, but before announcing financial assistance to the victim’s family members and job to her, but before saying so he should have introspected what was happening in UP. In 10 months, almost 1,500 rape cases have been reported,” she alleged.

“I want to ask the UP CM and the Government that in the 1,500 rape cases, how many girls got jobs and financial assistance. Will the modesty of the girl return by giving job or money. Therefore, it is a joke with their modesty,” she added.

Asked that compensation was given during her regime, Mayawati said that was a different matter.

“We do not agree with the fact that you give job and money, but don’t take action against the guilty. Modesty of our sisters matters more than job and financial assistance,” she said.

On the controversial statement made by President Pranab Mukherjee’s son against protesters of the gangrape case, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that people should think before saying anything.

In Chandigarh, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal condoled the death of the victim and said that it was very unfortunate that the hapless girl became another victim of this heinous crime against humanity.

He urged the Centre to make amendments in the existing provision of law for awarding harsh punishment to the accused involved in such dastardly acts.

“Such offenders do not deserve leniency and they should be dealt with as per the law of land by meting out the severest of the severe punishment so that it acts as a deterrent for others too,” he said.

Union Minister Ajay Maken said everybody had been hoping that the girl’s spirit would triumph against all odds.

“As a society it is a time to introspect,” Maken said.

Congress spokesman Sandeep Dikshit said the people of Delhi should be given some opportunity to gather in public places to express their grief and anguish.

“There must be some place where we can come out and express our feelings,” he said.

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