New Delhi: As parents of December 16 gangrape and murder victim are continuing their protests in the national capital against the release of the convicted juvenile, the Rajya Sabha will be taking up Juvenile Justice Bill for discussion on Tuesday.
The Bill aimed at amending the Juvenile Justice Act and treat convicts who are 16 and above like adults in crimes like rape and murder has been listed 11 times in the last one year. The public pressure has been mounting on the leaders to bury their differences and pass the Bill.
The government has on Monday blamed Congress for blocking it in the past due to its "obstructionist politics" even when it was listed on 15 occasions.
Alleging that important bills of national interest are not being passed due to "obstructionist" politics of Congress, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, "This government was serious to amend the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015. That's why we brought this Bill and listed several times in the last session as well as this session."
Noting that the bill was listed in this session on three occasions on December 8, 10 and 11, Naidu said that the same was also listed for 12 days in a row in the last session.
"This government had made attempts to pass this Bill by listing several times in Rajya Sabha but could not succeed," he said and blamed it on obstructions by Congress.
"Tomorrow as Congress agreed, I hope this Bill will come up for discussion. The passage of this Bill will be a tribute to Nirbhaya. We should pass this Bill so that in future such things do not re-occur and it acts as a deterrent. I am hopeful the Bill will be passed tomorrow," Naidu said.
The Juvenile Justice Amendment Act has already been passed in the Lok Sabha.
Later, after a meeting with Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, the victim's father Badri Singh Pandey said the Congress leader gave the assurance that the Bill will come in the Upper House on Tuesday.
Asked about the release of the convict, he said, "Now, it is not the right time to talk about him as he is a free man and there is no law to hold him back. Our fight is not only for us but for all the women and girls."
The victim's mother Asha Devi while stating that her fight against the system would continue demanded that the new Juvenile law be passed by Rajya Sabha on Tuesday itself, a stand which was also echoed by Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women(DCW) Swati Maliwal.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said "the government is ready and very keen to pass this Juvenile Bill", as a demand for expeditious passage was made in the Rajya Sabha.
Parliament's Winter session concludes on Wednesday.
Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien said he has given a notice under rule 267 seeking suspension of business in the Rajya Sabha and taking up the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2014.
He said the House had only three days to go before end of the Winter Session and government's listed agenda includes commercial courts, arbitration and real estate bill.
The government has not even listed the juvenile bill for discussion and passing today, he said during Zero Hour.
"It is incumbent upon the House to listen to what is going on outside," he said, asking the House to rise above politics. "It is not a perfect bill but let us list it and pass the bill," O'Brien said.
Union Minister Uma Bharti said she will appeal to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to allow passage of the Bill in the interest of the girls in the country.
"There is an obvious anger in the country against the release of the juvenile accused in the Nirbhaya case. The Bill was listed three times, but the Congress is not allowing the session to work and justice is not being delivered to Nirbhaya," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said.
SP leader Ramgopal Yadav blamed "politics" for the delay in the passage of the Bill.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat explained that even if the amendments to the Act were passed, the new provisions would not apply retrospectively to the juvenile convict in the gangrape case.
(With additional information from PTI)
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