‘Rajasthan to enact law on mob lynching, honour killing’

JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot announced in the assembly on Tuesday to bring a law to curb mob lynching and honour killing.
The announcement was made during a reply by the CM on the budget. Expressing zero tolerance on lynching and honour killing cases, Gehlot said, “It is very unfortunate to see how 20-30 people lynched a human being. Such incidents have no place in society. It is our duty to bring in a law to give strict punishment to those involved in such acts.”
Before making the announcement in the assembly, Gehlot asked opposition MLAs , “Don’t you all feel sad with mob lynching incidents?” The opposition MLAs responded with a ‘yes’. Gehlot further stressed on how one cannot be in pain to see a group of people killing a person out of sheer misunderstanding. While making a case for a law on honour killing, Gehlot recalled an incident that happened in Sirohi on July 9.
“A couple was burnt to death as their parents had not approved of their marriage. This is unacceptable,” said Gehlot.
He told the assembly that such mob lynching and honour killing cases happening in Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan are unfortunate.
“Our government is committed to bringing a strict law to punish culprits behind such heinous crimes,” said Gehlot.
Rajasthan has been on the fore of lynchings and honour killing cases.
Pehlu Khan lynching hogged national limelight
The lynching of Pehlu Khan on April 1, 2017 hogged the national limelight but it failed to put an end to lynching cases in the state. Barely seven months after the first incident, Ummar Khan was shot dead in Bharatpur. The cold-blooded murder of Afrazul in a performative killing in Rajsamand attained international attention. It built enormous pressure on former CM Vasundhara Raje to bring in a strict law on mob lynching.