Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule led a protest against the Maharashtra government, criticizing the delay in the enactment of the ‘Shakti Bill.’ This bill, which prescribes the death penalty for rapists, was passed by the Maharashtra legislature but has yet to receive assent. The protest took place at the Mahatma Gandhi statue near the state secretariat, with Sule and party workers voicing their frustrations and demanding immediate action.
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- Protest Location: Supriya Sule and NCP workers staged a protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue near the Maharashtra state secretariat.
- Bill Details: The ‘Shakti Bill’ prescribes the death penalty for rapists and was passed by the Maharashtra legislature.
- Delay in Assent: The bill has not received assent from the central government, leading to the protest.
- Sule’s Statement: Sule criticized both the previous Modi government and the current NDA government for inaction on the bill.
- Historical Context: The bill was initially introduced during Uddhav Thackeray’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government and has been pending for three years.
- Anil Deshmukh’s Role: Former State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh highlighted the delay and urged the current government to implement the bill.
- Upcoming Actions: Sule announced plans to meet with leaders of the INDIA alliance and the Home Minister to push for the bill’s enactment.
- National Protests: There has been a nationwide outcry for stricter laws following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
- West Bengal’s Response: The Mamata Banerjee government introduced a similar anti-rape bill, ‘Aparajita,’ in the West Bengal assembly.
- Aparajita Bill Provisions: The Aparajita Bill includes harsher punishments, including the death penalty, and provisions for expedited legal processes and enhanced safety measures for women.
