Rajdeep Sardesai of India Today spoke to the parents of 16 December 2012, Delhi gangrape victim, known to the country as Nirbhaya.
The parents – Badri Singh and Asha Devi – have insisted that she be named and be called Jyoti Singh henceforth.
Jyoti’s parents are unhappy and they have made their disappointment public through various media organisations. They have approached the Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself to look into the matter, but with no tangible results.
On the show, Asha Devi demanded the juvenile, whose identity has been kept secret since his arrest, not be released. His three-year sentence in the juvenile home was to end on December 15, 2015. He was to be released just a day before the family completes three years since the horror.
If Jyoti were alive, we would have had a doctor in our house. I have sent my children out of Delhi because of this incident.Asha Devi, Jyoti Singh’s Mother
When Sardesai asked if the incident has failed to stay in public memory, the father Badri Singh said that he felt the media and the people have not forgotten the incident. However, the government has lost track of the amendment in the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000.
The amendment bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha, but not been debated in the Rajya Sabha, effectively blocking the passage of the bill.
No one has forgotten the incident. Media and people come and talk to us. It is only the government which is being irresponsible.Badri Singh, Jyoti Singh’s Father
Asha Devi further appealed to the government to stop “politicising the issue” and bring Jyoti’s offenders to justice.
Maneka Gandhi Apologises to Jyoti’s Parents
Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi apologised to the parents of Jyoti Singh’s parents for the delay in implementation of the bill.
Maneka shared the parents’ concern that the juvenile’s release will only empower other juvenile offenders. The possibility of a jail term, Maneka believes, will deter them from committing such crimes in the first place.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs at the time of the incident, RPN Singh, took the opportunity to throw muck at the ruling party.
Unfortunately it has not been a priority of this government. I think this is the time for the JJA should be passed.RPN Singh, Former Minister of State, Home Affairs
Maneka, however, spoke about a provision in the existing law to try and prevent sexual offences committed against women.
Each and every sexual offender – adult and juvenile – will have to periodically report to the police after his release.
Maneka also said a proposal has been sent to home and law ministries for these provisions to be imposed until the amendment bill is passed by the Rajya Sabha.
A panic button in every mobile phone and the presence of a trained woman officer in every village are two of the other steps she has proposed.
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