"Rapists Must Be Shot In Public," Says BJP MP From Assam

Assam: Shoot rapists in public, says a parliamentarian of Assam's ruling BJP, suggesting this is the best way to check sexual crimes against women. Ram Prasad Sharma, a BJP leader who represents Tezpur in the Lok Sabha, also believes there should be "shooting squads" for this.

"Those who commit heinous crimes like rape must be shot in public; this is the only way to stop these incidents," said Mr Sharma on Thursday. The MP, who holds a degree in law and practiced in the Guwahati High Court before joining politics, said "capital punishment", is the only way to deal with those assaulting women.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Sharma said shooting squads must be set up to punish rapists and "instill a sense of fear" among people. The Lok Sabha MP also suggested anyone convicted of molestation should be given a minimum of 10-year jail term.

Mr Sharma joined the BJP in 1991 and won the Lok Sabha election in Tezpur in 2014.
 On Sunday class 5 student was raped and burnt alive in Nagaon, Assam

Assam has seen a spate in crimes against women in the last two years, according to police records. Last Sunday, a class five student died after she was allegedly gang-raped and then burnt alive by four boys in Nagaon district of Assam. Before dying, the girl named four teenagers, three she knew. All are in police custody.

The crime sparked uproar in the state assembly on Monday. Two BJP legislators, Mrinal Saikia and Shiladiyta Deb, alleged that illegal Bangladeshi migrants were involved in such incidents. The opposition Congress and the All India United Democratic Front or AIDUF accused the Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government, which took charge last year, of failing to maintain law and order in the state.