Maneka Gandhi wants government to issue licences for air guns

NEW DELHI: Women & Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi wants the government to issue licences for air guns, putting the home ministry’s bid to amend the Arms Act into trouble.

The Ministry of Women & Child Development has pointed out that air guns can be dangerous and should be sold like a rifle or a gun, for which a licence is needed. “Yes, we have objections,” Gandhi told ET, saying that air guns can cause injury.

“When you buy these guns from a toy shop and give it to your children, who will they practice on? On other children or animals. The plastic pellets of air guns have lead. They can injure a child and in case of an animal, cause gangrene.”

The Home Ministry proposed amending the Arms Act 1959 and Arms Rules 1962 to incorporate policy changes including the increased FDI in domestic arms manufacturing to 49% from 26%.

The changes also aim to make granting arms licences simpler and more people-friendly. However, even the amended act would continue to exempt air guns from a licence requirement. The WCD ministry sent its suggestions in response to the proposed amendments circulated by the home ministry. “We have suggested that either put them in shops where parents can buy them after applying for a licence or follow a zero-joule policy for toys similar to Singapore,” Gandhi said.