West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, under massive pressure from the Opposition since the rape-murder of a young doctor in Kolkata — has declared that she would change the laws in the state to make death penalty mandatory for rape. There should only be one punishment for rape — hanging, hanging, hanging,” she said amid whoops of approval at a meeting today.
Currently the rape laws have a provision for death penalty, along with jail term. It is the prerogative of the judge to decide on the severity of punishment once an offender is convicted.
Ms Banerjee, whose government has been under attack over multiple issues surrounding the rape-murder, said her party and government had demanded death penalty in an earlier case as well, but that not work. The criminals were given jail term.
“We have wanted death penalty for Kamduni rape case also. But it did not happen. They got released. I have files – it is already 10 years and they should be released now,” the Chief Minister said. “Why should they be released? Why should a murderer be released? Why should a rapist be released? Why should an attacker, a torturer, be released?” she said.
