Anushka says she extends 'absolute support' to ordinance for amending POCSO Act

In case of rape of women, the minimum punishment has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

Image: Anushka Sharma/Twitter

New Delhi: Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma said that she supports the ordinance to amend POCSO Act. "I am in absolute support of it. Child rape is the worst thing a human being can do. Strictest and the harshest punishment possible should be given to such people," Anushka Sharma said, reported news agency ANI. On Sunday, President Ram Nath Kovind signed the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of raping girls below 12-year-old. "This is a historic decision by the cabinet, such a law is needed to punish people who commit such heinous crimes. This decision has been welcomed unanimously," said Home Minister Rajnath Singh, reported news agency. On Saturday, the Union Cabinet approved an ordinance that provides for death penalty to those convicted of raping a child below the age of 12 and life term for raping a girl below age of 16. The need to amend POCSO Act was strongly felt after recent rapes cases with minors were reported, mainly, from Kathua (Jammu) and Surat (Gujarat). The ordinance has amended the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act by stringent provisions in case of rape of children and minors. It provides that punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years will be minimum 20 years imprisonment or imprisonment for rest of life or with death. In case of gang rape of a girl below 12 years, punishment will be imprisonment for rest of life or death sentence. In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which shall mean imprisonment till that person's natural life. Punishment for gang rape of a girl under 16 years of age will invariably be imprisonment for rest of life of the convict, reported news agency PTI. In case of rape of women, the minimum punishment has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.