Praising the anti-rape bill passed in lok Sabha on Tuesday, post graduate students, including boys and girls, unanimously feel that such a bill was need of the hour to check crime against women. The students are apprehensive of its misuse and want Government to take some measures for checking its misuse.
Renu Anthony, pursuing masters in sociology, observe that the Bill would definitely send a strong message among sex offenders since it has provision of stringent punishment for such offenders. The measures of strict punishment would keep a check on such tendency. So the Bill will act as a deterrent.
She, however, didn't deny apprehension of misuse of the bill. "Now, there should be provision to check even possibility of misuse of the bill. Government should look at this aspect also," Anthony said. She also feels that the Bill would infuse confidence in women and they would feel safe.
Kanchan expressed almost similar views followed by Sonia. "Now a Bill is there. After the Bill there should be focus on creating safe environment for the women that is most required step in ensuring effective check on crime against women. Hopefully, government would take some concrete steps along with implementing the bill effectively," Sonia said.
Shalaka Rawat said that the bill would act up to some extent in checking incidents of crime against women. "Rapists are mentally sick persons. It wouldn't have any effect on them. Along with ensuring strict punishment for such people, there should be measures to change mentality of such persons," Rawat said. She also lays emphasis on creating safe environment for the women.
Along with the government, it is duty of the girls that they should not tolerate any crime against them. In case of any incident, they should come forward and seek assistance of police for ensuring action against the person who tried to misbehave with them.
Yasha Shukla, who is pursuing bachelors in management, raises altogether a different point. "Certainty of punishment will be more effective in checking crime against women than merely enhancement of magnitude of punishment already defined in the law," she remarked, adding that need of the hour is to make girls aware about different laws.
Sameer Arora also praised the bill and said that such a move was need of the hour to check the crime against women. But likelihood of misuse of bill could not be denied. At present this aspect required Government's attention. The government should add some provisions to the bill so that it could not be misused against anybody.