Shashi Tharoor urges Centre to make stalking a non-bailable crime
Stalking was made a criminal offence only in 2013, by bring in an ordinance in the aftermath of the December 2012 gang rape and murder of a paramedic in Delhi that led to changes in laws on violence against women.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to make stalking a non-bailable offence, proposing to Singh that laws be amended to make way for the provision.
Tharoor said that the issues should not be seen within the purview of politics. "When a girl is harassed and she makes a complaint at the police station, the man is arrested only to be let off immediately. This gives him the freedom to continue harassing women as he pleases," said Tharoor.
He added that he's not worried about the government taking credit for the work, and simply wants to see a change in the law. "The possibility of a private member's bill being passed is akin to winning the lottery today, and so, it remains to be seen if the home minister and then the law minister and eventually the Cabinet decide to make this a reality," said Tharoor.
Stalking was made a criminal offence only in 2013, by bring in an ordinance in the aftermath of the December 2012 gang rape and murder of a paramedic in Delhi that led to changes in laws on violence against women.
The crime tag
Stalking was made a crime in 2013 in the aftermath of the Dec 2012 gang rape and murder of a paramedic. The move followed the recommendation of the Justice Verma panel