Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. (Express photo by Oinam Anand) Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. (Express photo by Oinam Anand)

Days after Madhya Pradesh Assembly passed a Bill awarding death penalty to those convicted of raping girls aged 12 or less, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Thursday announced that girls in schools and colleges will be trained in martial arts and other forms of combat so that they can defend themselves from men who harass them.

The CM was speaking at a function organised by women groups to honour him for passage of the Bill, the first such legislation by any state. He said he was uncomfortable with the word ‘felicitation’ (samman) and asked the groups to commit themselves to protect women by launching a campaign against purushpradhan mansikta (patriarchal mindset).

He said posters and pamphlets will be issued to inform girls and women about legal provisions against harassment. He said self-help groups and Shaurya Dal will keep an eye on “anti-social elements”.

He said he will appeal to the President for an early assent to the Bill passed on December 14 and asked women to launch a signature campaign in every city. “I also want my wife to move out because it is a pavitra (pious) work.”

Chouhan said his government will ensure that the law be strictly implemented.

He said after the December 16, 2012, gangrape incident, there was a debate over death penalty for rapists, with some suggesting that they should be reformed than hanged.

“I want the debate to continue in India and even abroad. Those who rape minors have no human rights. Some are released after a while in jail and again commit the same crime. They are beasts and don’t deserve to live,’’ he said to applause from the audience.

“What can you say about a society where more than 90 per cent rapes of minors are committed by relatives and those known to the family,’’ he said. He added that groups or individuals who excel in the field of protecting women will be awarded with Rashtramata Padmavati Puraskar on March 8.

MLA seeks public hanging

Bhopal: Announcing that a signature campaign has been started to seek early Presidential assent for the Bill awarding death penalty to those convicted of raping girls aged 12 or less, BJP MLA Usha Thakur Thursday said such “beasts” should be hanged at public places and permission denied for their last rites be denied.

“Pata nahi mai kitni sahi hu, ye fansi agar sarvajanik sthan par di aur antim sanskar ki anumati nahi di… cheel kauve yadi noch noch kar kha jaye in bhediyonko, in adamkhorono ko to ye betiyon ke taraf kudrishti dalna band karenge (if these hangings take place in public and permission for their last rites denied…carnivorous birds shred them apart… such cannibals will stop casting their evil eye on daughters,’’ the Indore-3 legislator said at a a function organised by women’s groups to felicitate CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan for passage of the Bill. ENS

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