New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said consent is one of the underrepresented concepts in the society and there is a need to ensure the safety of women, as the Delhi High Court is hearing pleas to criminalize marital rape. It should be kept paramount.
The Congress leader’s remarks came amid hearing in the High Court on PILs filed by non-governmental organization (NGO) RIT Foundation and All India Democratic Women’s Association. The petitions have sought to do away with the exception made to husbands under the rape law.
Some men’s rights organizations have also filed petitions opposing the petitions seeking quashing of the exception, saying there is no question of discrimination and Parliament upheld the provision, taking into account the holistic view of Indian society. has kept. Gandhi tweeted using the hashtag ‘marital rape’, “Consent is one of the underrated concepts in our society. It should be paramount to ensure the safety of women.”
Consent is amongst the most underrated concepts in our society.
It has to be foregrounded to ensure safety for women. #MaritalRape
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 16, 2022
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The central government, in its affidavit filed earlier in the case, had said that marital rape cannot be criminalized as it can create a situation which can destabilize the institution of marriage and is an easy way to harass husbands. can become a tool. The Delhi government has told the court that marital rape has already been included as an “offence of cruelty” under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The petitioner NGO has challenged the constitutionality of making marital rape an exception under Section 375 of the IPC on the ground that it discriminates against married women who are sexually harassed by their husbands. (agency)