Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi on Sunday said she favoured treating youth below the age of 18 and named as accused in rape cases on a par with the adults, rather than as juvenile offenders.
In a brief interaction with reporters in the city on Sunday morning, the Minister, while responding to a specific question on the opening of Nirbhaya Centres across the country, said that according to police, nearly half of all “sexual crimes are committed by 16-year-olds” and they were aware of the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act.
Reducing the age from 18 to 16 and treating the juveniles involved in pre-meditated rape cases on a par with adults will help in reducing heinous crime, especially sexual offences on women, Ms. Maneka Gandhi said.
On the issue of banning cow slaughter, the Minister said she was personally in favour of it, but as she was now part of the government, she would have to abide by what the government decides.
She was speaking at the concluding day of the week-long sixth Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair.
Lauding the organisers, she said a number of organisations did exemplary work in various fields and it was encouraging to see their efforts showcased here and hoped similar events would be held all over India.
