Left parties condole death of brave gang-rape victim

NEW DELHI: Left parties today expressed grief at the death of the "brave young woman" victim of gang-rape and asked the government to ensure security of women and time-bound justice in cases of atrocities against them.

Senior CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta demanded a special session of Parliament "to respect public opinion, especially that of the youngsters".

Expressing deep sorrow at the tragic death of the "brave young woman", the CPI(M) Politburo sought the "most stringent punishment" to the accused criminals saying "it is even more tragic that had the government and the police done its duty the horrific incident could have been avoided."

Urging the government to extend all possible help now and in the future to the family of the victim, the party said, "this is not an isolated incident. Sexual assault cases are the fastest increasing crimes in India.

"It is essential for the government at the Centre and the states to put into place long pending required measures to prevent violence against women which have been demanded by women's organizations and Left parties and which the government has failed to accept and implement."

The measures include steps to ensure security, easy access to time-bound justice, punishment to officials for non -implementation, referring all pending cases to fast track courts and reformed and stringent laws against sexual assault, the CPI(M) said.

The CPI, while expressing condolences to her family and "those who had come to identify themselves with the victim", said "her death will further harden the demand of all right- thinking people to strengthen our laws against rapes, uphold the dignity and safety of our girls and women, the struggle for gender equality, the need for speedy justice to all victims of rapes and quick apprehension and deterrent punishment to those guilty of such heinous crimes."

"Never again such crimes must happen. The government and the society at large must act and ensure this," it said.