Anushka Sharma will be next seen in Zero and Sui Dhaaga.
Actor Anushka Sharma has reacted strongly to the rape of a minor in Jammu recently. The Zero actor said severe punishment should be awarded to the perpetrators while expressing support for the ordinance passed by government proposing stringent punishment for rapists.
Amid national outrage over Kathua (Jammu) and Unnao (Uttar Pradesh) rape cases, the Union Cabinet had two days ago, cleared the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, which proposes punishments, ranging from a minimum of 20 years to life term or death, for raping girls under the age of 12 years.
The ordinance allowing death penalty has been promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind.
When asked about her take on the ordinance, Anushka, at a brand endorsement event, said, “Like everyone in the country, I’m deeply hurt by the incident (Kathua). Even now when I think about it, I feel disgusted and extremely emotional. Like I said in my statement earlier, most severe punishment has to be veted out to the people involved.
Anushka Sharma talks about Unnao and Kathua rape cases.
Anushka Sharma at a brand endorsement event in Mumbai.
“I will be completely, 1000 percent in support of the most severe punishment that there is (to be given to the one) who spoils something as innocent as a child. It’s the worst thing to do as a human being,” she said.
Later in the evening, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah was also asked at the trailer launch of his upcoming film, Hope Aur Hum, his thoughts on the two cases, which are huge testimonies to the rape culture in India.
Naseeruddin Shah also spoke on the Kathua-Unnao rape cases.
Shah said while he is happy that these cases are being reported and talked about, what’s actually needed is introspection by people to correct their mindset.
“I don’t think these are new things. Such horrors have always been happening, it’s just that they are being reported more now which is a good thing.
“There was a wonderful thing I read in paper yesterday where a young rape survivor said ‘why should we hide our faces and names, it’s the people who committed the crimes hiding their faces.’
“It’s a strange and a dreadful situation which the society is in, where instead of the perpetrators it’s the girl who has to feel embarrassed and ashamed. All of us have to be on guard about it, all the time.”
“It’s a good thing that the media is alert towards all of this happening now, it is very depressing for me every morning because everytime you open the newspaper, something or the other horrifies you. But it’s important these things are talked about.
Where the solution lies I don’t know. You’re talking about a complete change in mindset, a complete reversal of attitude that men have had towards women, you’re talking about generational change and that can’t happen. All we can do is try to set the example in our personal life. We can’t go around policing every guy, can’t be teaching martial arts to every girl, it has to begin with each one of us,” the actor said.