Union Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday triggered a new controversy by suggesting that the details of the 23-year-old gangrape victim be made public and she be honoured as a real person.
He also suggested that the rape laws, which are being revised, should be named after the victim unless her parents objected to it.
“Wondering what interest is served by continuing anonymity of (Delhi) gangrape victim. Why not name & honour her as a real person w/own identity?”
“Unless her parents object, she should be honoured &the revised anti-rape law named after her. She was a human being w/a name, not just a symbol,” he asked on micro-blogging site Twitter. The UN diplomat-turned-politico’s suggestion comes at a time when the Delhi Police have registered a case against an English daily for publishing details of the victim which could lead to her identity being revealed.
Under the law, the identity of a rape victim cannot be disclosed and printing or publishing the name or any matter which may publicise the identity of any person against whom rape has been committed is an offence under Section 228 A.
Meanwhile, reacting to Tharoor’s remarks, National Commission for Women chairperson Mamata Sharma pointed out that according to the guidelines, the names of sexual assault victims should not be revealed.
Personal View: Cong
The suggestions of Tharoor, however, were not backed by the Congress while the Opposition parties rubbished the idea. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tiwari refrained from commenting on his party colleague’s remarks saying, “Don’t want to get into what he said, but a real tribute (to the victim) would be to come out with a strong anti-rape law.”
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi termed it Tharoor’s personal opinion. According to BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, Tharoor’s suggestion went against the existing guidelines and his party would oppose any such move.