Safety first: Ensuring women's security is as critical as stringent laws

The bigger danger implicit in the extremist approach in the Aparajita Bill, as with similar Bills passed by other states, is a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the crime of sexual assault

The West Bengal Assembly’s unanimous vote to pass a law prescribing the death penalty for most categories of rape represents little more than an attempt to regain political ground following the ruling Trinamool Congress’ shockingly inadequate response to the rape and murder of a woman doctor at state-owned R G Kar Medical College and Hospital last month. The Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks a blanket replacement of the penalty of life or rigorous imprisonment for various categories of rape with death under central criminal laws and the Protection of Children