SINGAPORE: There have been mixed reactions to the Indian government's hurriedly enacted ordinance to amend the country's anti-rape laws.
The president has also given his approval to the ordinance.
But the move has not gone down well with the women's rights groups who feel the emergency measure is rather a betrayal and not a breakthrough.
They allege that the government has dropped some of the key recommendations made by the Justice Verma Committee that had suggested an array of provisions to tighten the country's rape laws.
The ordinance proposes the death penalty or life imprisonment for rapists in extreme cases, but ignores suggestions that marital rape be included, as well as amendments to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Advocate and women's rights activist Vrinda Grover said: "This ordinance being made into law means that they only show complete bad faith. And this is a trick to put the (Justice) Verma Committee report away. We are not going to allow the Verma Committee report to be killed in this manner."
Some left-wing political parties too rejected the ordinance, saying the government could have waited till Parliament had debated the proposals.
Brinda Karat, leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said: "When parliament is meeting just three weeks away, it is undemocratic in fact to bring in ordinance like this and the content of the ordinance is doing injustice to the Justice Verma recommendations because it is highly selective."
While most rights groups rejected the ordinance, it did however succeed in winning partial support from a few corners.
Social activist Kiran Bedi said: "I think this is a beginning. I hope this is not with an intention for people to say we have done it and that is it. I think what this country is demanding is a holistic response."
- CNA/xq
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India's anti-rape ordinance draws mixed reactions
