Assam to have anti-rape law, more women in police force: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal

The Assam government is set to introduce a stringent anti-rape law in the next session of the state Assembly and would recruit women sub-inspectors through a special drive to fulfil the aim of 30 per cent women in the police force.

"Please give me all your suggestions in writing. We will discuss these with legal experts to frame a stringent law against rape. We will place the bill in the next Assembly session," Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in the state Assembly.

Expressing serious concern over the rising cases of rape, the chief minister said, "It is a big challenge and we all must work together. Swami Vivekananda had said that unless women are safe, the society cannot be safe. Such miscreants cannot be allowed to stay in the society... The people of the state want a strict law and exemplary punishment in such crimes".

"We have decided to have 30 per cent women in the police. We will have a special drive to recruit women sub-inspectors to achieve this goal," Sonowal said.   

In an effort to check the menace, the state government has arrested several culprits behind recent rape cases, asked police to prepare error-free chargesheets to convict the guilty, set up fast track courts for day-to-day hearings, formed a women's cell at the DGP office and rolled out a toll-free helpline for women, the chief minister said.

Also, speaking in the house, BJP MLA Angoorlata Deka said, "The recent gang rape of a minor girl and her killing by burning her alive shook the entire state. Rapes are happening serially in the state and it is rising in Assam. Why is happening and why is it rising? The culprits have no age, caste, religion, language".

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Nandia Das cited government data: "Of the 3,009 rapes that took place in the last two years, only 1,786 persons have been arrested. Out of which, a mere 76 were punished after filing chargesheets against 1,697 accused."

"We are forced to think that women are not safe in India. We have laws, but still culprits get free. So, is the public punishment solution? Handover the culprits to women...," BPF Kamali Basumatary said.

Congress MLAs Ajanta Neog and Roselina Tirkey demanded death penalty for rape accused, while AGP legislator Renupoma Rajkhowa spoke about strengthening the Women's Commission in the state.

As there is no women MLA from AIUDF, MLA Aminul Islam spoke on behalf of his party and requested the chief minister to have provision of death sentence in the anti-rape law.

The issue was raised in the backdrop of the March 23 gang rape and killing of a minor girl at Dhaniabheti Lalung Gaon in Nagaon district.

(With inputs from PTI)