Brinda Karat questions Juvenile Justice Act, says treating 16-year-old as adult among criminal is retrograde

Communist Party of India (CPI-M) member, Brinda Karat on Tuesday questioned the logic of leaders and citizens supporting the Juveline Justice Act.

New Delhi, Dec 22: Communist Party of India (CPI-M) member, Brinda Karat on Tuesday questioned the logic of leaders and citizens supporting the Juveline Justice Act. She said that treating a 16-year-old as an adolescent criminal in Tihar jail is retrograde understanding. Opposing the concept of the draft Karat said that the Bill should be referred to a Select Commitee in Rajya Sabha. She further said that a minor cannot be considered as an adult and be send to Tihar jail. She said, “Sending an adolescent of 16 among criminals in Tihar jail? What a retrograde understanding.”

Criticizing the nature of the Bill, Karat said, “We do not see that lowering the age of juvenile is in the interest of justice. Treating a 16-yr old as adult is totally wrong, we totally oppose it. Meanwhile, parents of December 16 gangrape, Asha Devi and Badri Singh Pandey reached Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi in new Delhi to appeal for the passage of the Juvenile Act in Parliament. (Also Read: Juvenile Justice Bill should be passed after healthy discussion: TMC)

They also met Parliamentary Minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Ghulam Nabi Azad and assured about the passing of the bill. If the Juvenile Justice Bill is passed, it will allow children between 16-18 years to be tried as adults in heinous crime cases. The bill is expected to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha at 2pm on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court on Sunday let the juvenile convict in the rape free and sent him to an NGO in Delhi. The apex court also dismissed Delhi Women’s Commission’s plea to keep the juvenile offender.