Sharad Pawar Backs Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Aparajita’ Anti-Rape Bill, Pitches Similar Law for Maharastra

NCP (SP) Chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday backed the amendments moved by Mamata Banerjee government in the BNS Central laws ensuring scope for the death penalty in heinous crimes like rape and gang rape. The veteran leader pitched for a similar law for Maharastra that has been rocked by the Badlapur incident of sexual assault on two school-going minors. The Mamata Banerjee government passed the “Aparijita” Bill in the state assembly on Tuesday ensuring stringent punishment including capital punishment in cases of sexual assault.

"Maharashtra should consider replicating the bill passed by the West Bengal assembly. My party supports such a bill...There will be no legislature session in Maharashtra now since assembly polls will be held soon. We will highlight this point in our election campaign and mention it in the poll manifesto as well," Sharad Pawar said.

On August 14, two kindergarten students of a Badlapur school were sexually assaulted by a janitor employed by the school. The school and police allegedly delayed taking cognisance of the family’s complaint. The Bombay High Court had pulled up the Maharastra Police for the delay in filing of the FIR and recording of the statements of the victims.

West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Anti-Rape Bill that amends the existing Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023, making provision for death sentence in cases of rape and gang-rapes amongst others. In the wake of a massive public uproar demanding justice for the brutal rape and murder of the 31-year-old RG Kar PGT doctor, Mamata Banerjee government brought the bill in the assembly to make provision for capital punishment in cases of such heinous crimes. In the newly commissioned central laws that replaced the erstwhile CRPC, sections 64 and 66 dealing with rape and gang rape, the punishment scope had life imprisonment where the Bengal government moved an amendment to include capital punishment and also removed the 10-year and 20-year cap of minimum sentencing and replaced that with rigorous imprisonment till the person’s natural life. While the bill is passed but it is pending the assent of the state governor and the President of India.

In 2020 the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government had passed “The Shakti Bill” in Maharastra Assembly with stringent provisions for punishment in cases of sexual harassment. That bill is still pending the assent of the President.​