NEW DELHI: With the whole nation shocked over the images of a two-year-old battered baby girl battling for life, women groups and political leaders Friday emphasised the need to bring in a strict law to check sexual abuse of children.
Falak was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) last week with multiple injuries, including a fractured skull and a clot on the right side of her brain. The baby also had human bite marks all over her body.
Calling it horrific, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat said: "Of course, it is serious and more so because such cases are not rare and occur very often in our country but we have no social infrastructure to support a child in distress."
"We have had some amendments to the criminal procedure code last year providing certain protection as far as recording statements of children is concerned but no comprehensive approach concerning child sexual abuse as far as victim is concerned," she said.
Karat said a law sent by some women organisations has been pending since years.
"Leave aside tabling it in parliament, it has not been discussed in the cabinet. I think it is criminal that this is happening and we are unable to deal it in a comprehensive way. Our social infrastructure is so weak that we cannot do anything," Karat added.
Calling for stringent action against the culprits, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain said: "It is inhumane and strict action should be taken against those involved."
Ranjana Kumari, director of Centre for Social Research, said: "It is horrifying to see the way this little child has been treated and she has been in the trauma centre. Police is also behaving in a little strange manner. If a minor child has brought a kid to the hospital, it is a double crime."