BJP questions 'hurried' cremation of gangrape victim

Holding that "a nation in shock" is entitled to display its sense of despair, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday disapproved of "Emergency-like" restrictions against anti-gangrape protests and renewed its demand for a special Parliament session to adopt strict laws on crime against women.

Expressing "profound condolences" to members of the victim's family and saluting her courage, the party also questioned the "hush hush" manner in which she was cremated.

BJP said that a proper debate in Parliament on the issue would "certainly be able to tap upon the serious sense of distress and dismay which is sweeping the country" after the "supreme sacrifice of that young brave daughter" of the country.

The main opposition party assured that it would cooperate with the government in all suitable legislative measures to strengthen laws relating to crime against women, in strengthening the judicial architecture to ensure the speedy justice to those who are victims and taking actions against the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.

"The government needs to come quickly with a proper structured response and to reflect upon the serious concerns of the country, it is imperative that a special session of Parliament be called at the earliest which we have been demanding for some time," BJP spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad told reporters.

Criticising the government for "converting Delhi into a chavni (cantonment)", he said this "unfair" act of authorities reminds of Emergency era and added that "a nation in shock is certainly entitled to display its sense of despair, anger and pain."

"...why should Delhi be sealed like this. Why should Delhi be converted into a chavni reminding ourselves what is happened during Emergency. This is very very unfair.

"Metro trains have been closed, people cannot move. I think, a nation in shock is certainly entitled to display its sense of despair, anger and pain. Thats what democracy is about. We don't appreciate it at all," he said.

Prasad said that former President Pratibha Patil has "publicly stated" that capital punishment of some of the criminals convicted of rape and murder was converted to either life imprisonment or lighter sentences by signing the power of pardon on the recommendation of the Union home ministry.

"The country today is certainly entitled to know as to why did the government recommend a lighter punishment when the court has given a very very serious punishment" to those who were found involved in rape with murder, he said.

The party also criticised the manner in which cremation of the victim was done.

"The hurried manner in which cremation the done was avoidable. We understand the right of privacy. The right of privacy has to be respected. But this hush-hush manner certainly raises a lot of curious questions too," Prasad said.