Sharing the deep sense of anguish that people have over the recent brutal rape and setting on fire of a young veterinary doctor in Telangana state, the Indian parliamentarian on Monday advocated for public punishment of the accused.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, Jaya Bachchan said those accused of rape should be brought out in public and lynched as she raised the issue of the heinous crime.
The lawmaker said: “I think the people now want the government to give a proper answer and a very definite answer. What has happened? How they have tackled it and how, far justice has been done to these people?”
“A similar incident happened in Hyderabad a day before the vet was raped. Do you not think the security in charge should be questioned and they should be asked to give an answer why they were not able to protect that area?” she asked.
“I think these people need to be shamed in front of the entire country… people who have not done their jobs properly. These kinds of people (the accused) should be brought out in public and lynched.”
The veterinary doctor’s charred body was recovered in the Indian city of Hyderabad. The victim went missing while on her way to a clinic last week and her burned body was recovered a day later.
Jaya, who was representing the Samajwadi Party, was soon joined by another parliamentarian representing AIADMK, Vijila Sathyanath. She broke down during her speech in the parliament and rued the fact that her country was not safe for children and women.
Another lawmaker, representing the main opposition party Congress, Amee Yajnik demanded the central and state governments join hands for a "social reformation on an emergency basis".
Later, Indian Defence Minister and former Home Minister Rajnath Singh called for having “a full discussion in the House and all suggestions given by everyone present here will be taken and a law can be formed if needed”.
“Our government is open to every suggestion anyone has to give to curb such heinous crimes. We are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that the most stringent rules be implemented”, he added.
Meanwhile, the four accused in the case were sent to judicial custody for 14 days on 30 November. Three cops were also suspended for delaying the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) in the case.