Shimla: More than five months after the
death of a college student due to ragging, Himachal Pradesh
assembly on Monday enacted a law against the menace providing for
punishment including jail term of three years and a fine upto
to Rs 50,000.
The House passed the Himachal Pradesh Educational
Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Bill, 2009 introduced on
August 12 last by voice vote.
The Act to come into effect from March 25, 2009, replaces
an anti-ragging ordinance issued in the wake of the tragic
death of first year MBBS student Aman Kachroo at Dr Rajendra
Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra district
on March 8.
State Congress president and MLA Kaul Singh Thakur, his
party MLA Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and Rajesh Dharmani sought
shortening the term of expulsion of a student convicted of an
offence under the Act from three years to one year as it would
deny them the right to education.
However, Education minister I D Dhiman and Chief Minister
Prem Kumar Dhumal disagreed with it saying no mercy should be
shown to persons guilty of this offence.
Dhumal, however, said if need arises the government would
think on this line later on.
Sukhu refused to take back his amendment which was
defeated by voice vote.
With enactment of the Act, HP became the fifth state
to have a law against ragging. The other four states are
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.
Bureau Report
