Priyanka Chaturvedi urges President to approve Maharashtra bills on crimes against women

Priyanka Chaturvedi/ PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has written to President Droupadi Murmu, requesting her to promptly sign two critical measures on crimes against women and children approved by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government three years ago. Chaturvedi stated that she sent the letter on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, emphasising that the measures were overwhelmingly passed by the state parliament in December 2021, reported PTI.

The Maharashtra Amendment Bill, 2020, calls for the death penalty for rape and heavier sentences for acid assaults on women and sexual assault on children. It also requires investigations to be completed within 30 days of the complaint being made.

"On the occasion of auspicious Raksha Bandhan today, I have written a letter to President Murmu, asking her to expedite the assent to the bills which under the leadership of Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray were cleared in the state assembly and have been awaiting her assent ever since. This would be the most fitting gift to the women of the state and the nation on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan," Chaturvedi said, per the PTI report.

In her letter, Chaturvedi referred to the recent controversy over the brutal sexual assault and murder of a female doctor in West Bengal, linking it to previous high-profile incidents such as those in Hathras and Kathua. She voiced alarm over the escalating number of crimes against women in India, pointing out that 51 such crimes occur every hour, and highlighted the critical need for swift justice, the PTI report stated.

Chaturvedi in her letter to Murmu wrote, "Such cases and those that happened in Hathras and Kathua, with numerous others that have led to India having 51 crimes against women each hour, have shaken women's trust in the country's legal system which fails to protect them. The pain, fear, and anger of crores of women is justified and re-emphasises the need to prioritise women's safety and ability, and access to faster justice. As a fellow woman, I am certain that you share their sentiment and agree that the need to walk the talk towards women's safety is now."

"In this context, I want to draw your attention towards the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Special Court & Machinery for Implementation of Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law, 2020, which, during the government led by Uddhav Thackeray, had passed in both the Houses after extensive stakeholder discussion and debate in the Maharashtra State Assembly in 2021," she said.

She underlined the frustration of Maharashtra residents with the delay, particularly given the rising violence against women and children. Chaturvedi finished by saying that during Raksha Bandhan, a festival that represents protection and care, it is critical to act quickly to secure the safety of women across the state.