'There should be no difference between juvenile and adult criminals,' say parents of the girl.
The parents of the girl who was gang-raped in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012 have welcomed the statement of Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, who said today that juveniles, accused of serious crimes like rape, be treated on par with adults.
The girl's father said he appreciated her stand.
"I appreciate and welcome the decision of Maneka Gandhi. I think that juveniles should be treated like adults if they indulge in any heinous crime like rape or murder," he told IANS.
He said that one or two juveniles are involved in most gang-rape cases and their lawyers take advantage of their involvement in making the case weak.
"No criminal should be given special treatment only on the ground of being a juvenile. Everybody who is guilty of rape, gang-rape or murder should be given equal punishment. There should be no difference between juvenile and adult criminals. Criminals are only criminals," he said.
The girl's mother also welcomed Ms Gandhi's statement, saying juveniles indulge in major crimes thinking they won't get punished.
"If such a law comes to existence, it will be helpful in controlling crime," the mother told IANS.
Their daughter, a 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist, was brutally gang-raped inside a moving bus in Delhi by six people December 16, 2012, leading to her eventual death. One of the rapists was a juvenile.