Death penalty will not end rapes: Shankaracharya

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swamy Shri Nischalananda Saraswati of Puri said death penalty will not end incidents of rape in the country and women should be placed in a higher position in the society to stop such crimes against them.

"Any disrespect to women cannot be supported, nor should it be tolerated," he told reporters.

The Shankaracharya, who is here on the occasion of the Ganga Sagar mela, said development of the country is not possible without empowering women and the decadence of the society could only be arrested by involving everybody.

"From the government to the political parties, leaders and the common man everybody should be involved," he said, adding that large scale changes should be introduced in education, culture and social consciousness.

He blamed magazines, newspapers, entertainment channels and cinema for the growing incidences of rape. "These are pushing the youth of today to the wrong road."