Terming the release of the convict in the Nirbhaya case highly unfortunate, the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta said that Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Central government had opposed it. He alleged that due to irresponsible behaviour of the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and the Congress his release had been made possible.
Mr Gupta asked if the Delhi government had been earnest in stopping the release of the convict, it would have initiated proper legal process much before his release date, since the reform home comes under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government only.
“The Delhi government is creating drama a day before the release only to turn the mass anger, resulting due to the impending release, in their favour,” said Mr Gupta.
Mr Gupta alleged that in order to mislead the public, the “drama specialist” Delhi government and Delhi Commission for Women chief approached the Supreme Court at midnight to appeal against the release of the convict, who had been a juvenile when arrested for gangrape and murder of young student Jyoti Singh in 2012.
“Earlier, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced rehabilitation plan for the juvenile offender that included sum of '10,000 and a stitching machine. In the same manner, the Congress party too has been indulging in doublespeak in the matter. The Lok Sabha has already passed the amendments in the Juvenile Justice Act. As per one of the amendments in the act any 16-18 year old who commits a heinous offence may be tried as an adult. According to this provision, the juvenile convict in the Nirbhaya incident would be tried as an adult,” said the Leader of Opposition, adding that the bill has not passed in the Rajya Sabha due to disruptions by the members of the Congress.
“This is the reason the convict in the Nirbhaya case is set to roam free.”He claimed that the Delhi government and the DCW chief were indulging in theatrics to hide their incompetence in dealing with the issue of women security in the capital. “The Aam Aadmi Party government has come to power twice after the Nirbhaya incident. Yet not one promise made by Mr Kejriwal during his election campaign regarding women safety has been fulfilled,” Mr Vijender Gupta added.
