New Delhi:
As thousands continued to protest in Delhi to demand justice for 23-year-old gang-rape survivor Amanat (NOT her real name), Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj today called up the Prime Minister and said a special session of Parliament should be called to consider death sentence for heinous crimes against women.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani too raised the gang-rape case and the protests with the government. Mr Advani called up Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and urged that the Delhi Police show restraint towards the protesters, who were stopped while trying to march towards Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
"I heard reports that police took severe action against the protesters. I called up the Home Minister and told him that we should appreciate the concern of the protesters and that their anger is justified," Mr Advani told the Press Trust of India.
Police had used teargas and water cannons on the protesters, including girls, who were marching from India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan. A boy and a girl and a traffic policeman were injured as the police directed water jets and opened a volley of teargas shells at the protesters.
Mr Advani suggested to Mr Shinde that instead of using force on the protesters, he should ask the senior police and administration officials to reason with them.
"I asked Shinde to tell the Police Commissioner and other senior officials to talk to the protesters and ask them to disperse, instead of using force," Mr Advani said.
He said the Home Minister agreed with him and promised to take up the issue with the Delhi Police.
Mr Advani maintained the Opposition does not want to blow up the issue and his intention is to calm the situation. "I am interested in seeing that the people feel that the right action, which should be taken in such a situation, is being taken by the authorities," he said.
(With PTI inputs)