New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh over his televised address to the nation following violent protests demanding justice for the 23-year-old gang-rape victim, saying the latter`s speech was disappointing.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said Dr Singh failed to give any promise or reassure the country about the steps being taken by the Congress-led UPA II Government at the Centre.
"The Prime Minister`s message was disappointing. First he did not spoke a word when the whole nation is agitated for the last one week, now he has said it. But he did not give any promise or he could not reassure the country that the government is taking certain steps," said Javadekar.
"There are two demands, which are coming from the people, one there has to be a time-bound solution and there has to be more stringent laws," he added.
Javadekar said the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, and the BJP has given suggestions to the ruling UPA Government to convene a Special Session of Parliament and hold an all-party meeting to discuss the contentious issue and come up with a solution in the interests of the nation.
"Sushma Swaraj and the BJP, has given real suggestions, very positive suggestions that there should be one week Special Parliament Session and there should be all-party meeting. The government should have lapped these two good suggestions. Instead of accepting it, they are rejecting it as if this is something against the government," said Javadekar.
"This is to reassure the nation that here is a Parliament, here is a democracy which is working and which will discuss the whole law and order situation, how make a law work because in India it is not the absence of laws in many cases, which is the matter of concern. The matter of concern is that there is no implementation of the laws passed and that is the concern, anguish of the people. And that is why we need to reassure the country through these two measures," he added.
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had earlier on Saturday urged the Prime Minister to convene a Special Session of Parliament for amending the existing law to provide death sentence for heinous crimes against women.
"I have just spoken to Prime Minister. I requested Prime Minister for a special session of Parliament to frame a law to provide for exemplary punishment for crimes against women," she tweeted.
The Prime Minister earlier this morning expressed sadness at the turn of events leading to clashes between protesters and the police forces here yesterday, and appealed to all concerned citizens to maintain peace and calm.
"My fellow citizens, there is genuine and justified anger and anguish at the ghastly crime of gang-rape committed last Sunday in Delhi. As a father of three daughters myself, I feel as strongly about this as each one of you. My wife and family and I are all joined in our concern for the young woman who was the victim of this heinous crime," said Dr. Singh in his televised statement this morning.
"We are constantly monitoring her medical condition. Let us all pray for her and her loved ones during this critical time. I feel deeply sad at the turn of events leading to clashes between protesters and police forces," he added.
Dr Singh said ``anger at this crime is justified, but violence will serve no purpose``.
The Central Government, which has under sharp criticism following the widespread public fury over the brutal gang-rape, has decided to constitute a committee of eminent jurists to have a re-look at the existing rape laws.
The condition of the 23-year-old girl, who is presently being treated at the Safdarjung Hospital here, continues to be critical.
ANI
