Bhopal: Seemingly unnerved by the pubic ire over several incidents of rape of minor girls, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, urging him to either set up fast track courts to ensure an early disposal of the rape cases, or make arrangements that such cases are accorded high priority within the existing system.
Speaking of his reverence for the girl child, CM Chouhan said she was an incarnation of goddess Durga and because of this belief, he has been paying obeisance to the girl child before starting any fresh project.
Madhya Pradesh, which takes the lead in recording the highest number of crimes against women, has reported sexual assaults on children in Indore, Gwalior followed by the recent cases in Mandsaur and Satna where an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old were raped — triggering massive resentment both in MP as well as other states.
Mentioning that Madhya Pradesh was the first state in India to have passed a bill seeking death for people who rape girls less than 12 years of age, the chief minister said that the stringent penal provisions seems to have failed to deter certain criminal minds.
Going back to the Indore minor rape case where the police completed the investigation within seven days and the local court handed punishment within 22 days, Chouhan pointed out that justice cannot be complete unless and until the high courts and Supreme Courts dispose appeals expeditiously.
“I am not against the accused’s right to a free and fair trial, but speedy justice also reduces the victim’s psychological trauma and sends out a message,” the CM said in the letter.
In the recent past, CM Chouhan has held several meetings with senior police officers to review the law and order situation, especially after the Mandsaur incident.
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