Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s remarks on death penalty for rape draw flak, aide cites ‘data’

New Delhi, Aug 08: After Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot's remark on rape law, drew huge criticism, his aide on Sunday shared data to back up the statement.

Shashikant Sharma, OSD (officer on special duty) to CM Gehlot, said, "He (Gehlot) had given a statement on rising unemployment, inflation, and increasing crimes, which has been presented in a distorted manner by BJP's IT cell."

Sharing a newspaper report, he further said that similar observations have been previously made by cops. "Data backs up this unfortunate trend," Sharma said amid the outrage.

Sharing a video of Gehlot, his another OSD Lokesh Sharma said, "Listen and understand...CM Gehlot expressed concern over the increasing trend of murder of rape victims across the country. The form in which he spoke is being made a matter of controversy without any reason. He called it a dangerous trend which is a matter of concern for all.

At an event last week, chief minister Gehlot said that the cases of murder after rape have increased in the country following the law providing death sentence for rape convicts came into force.

Ever since the death penalty (for rape convicts) is brought after Nirbhaya incident, the murders after rape have increased. The rapist sees that the girl will become a witness tomorrow, so he not only rapes but also kills her. This is happening across the country. This is a very dangerous trend, Gehlot had said.

The CM was referring to December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape incident, which was later called as the 'Nirbhaya' incident.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2020, Rajasthan has earned the dubious distinction of registering the highest number of rape cases in the country followed by Uttar Pradesh. Though the state continues to top in rape cases in 2020, the number of such cases (5997) has declined by 11.45% in comparison to 2019, the NCRB data shows.

On Sunday, Gehlot also stood by his remark. "I only spoke the truth. Whenever a rapist rapes a child, they then kill them for the fear of being identified... So many deaths have never happened before," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Reacting to the CM's statement, BJP leader Rathore said the statistics of NCRB and police report show that the state ranks first in the country in rape cases. He also claimed that from January 2020 to January 2022, 4,091 cases have been registered under the POCSO Act.

Rathore said that in the previous BJP government, a law was made for the provision of capital punishment to those accused of raping a minor. Unfortunately, the CM, who has failed to curb the incidents of rape of innocent girls, is now opposing the provision of capital punishment.

If you have the courage to bring a resolution against this law in the assembly, then we will give a befitting reply to them, he said.

Rathore claimed that 16 incidents of rape are taking place in Rajasthan every day and Gehlot has stated that 48% of rape cases are false. By making such statements again and again, the CM is doing an act of encouraging the morale of the brutal rapists instead of breaking them, the BJP leader said.

Asha Devi, mother of the student who waged the Nirbhaya case battle, also said the comment was uncalled for. "Even, before the provision came, girls were murdered. This shows their (CM Gehlot) mentality of supporting culprits while they don't have sympathy for victims. The law isn't bad, people's mentality is. He must apologise and should give his resignation," she told ANI.