How Many More Victims to Change Laws, Ask Nirbhaya’s Parents

Nirbhaya’s parents ask how many more victims will it take to change the law after juvenile convict’s release.

The mother of the victim of the fatal 2012 gang rape, Asha Devi, sits in a car after she arrived to join protestors in New Delhi on December 20, 2015. (Photo: AP)

With the Supreme Court rejecting the plea against release of the juvenile convict, the parents of the December 16 gangrape victim, Jyoti Singh, said the courts have failed them and asked how many Nirbhayas would it take for the laws to change.

Singh’s parents have said their fight against the system will continue.

We were not very hopeful that the Supreme Court will give a favourable verdict but I want to ask how many Nirbhayas are needed for the laws to change in the country. The court is not bothered about the concerns of the public....This fight is not just about Nirbhaya but for every girl who is unsafe in a country which has such law. 

Badri Singh Pandey, Jyoti’s father 

He added that he would fight till the bill is passed and the law is changed.

The court is saying that the law does not permit further punishment for the juvenile but why is the case against other convicts still pending. Why have they not been hanged yet?

Asha Devi, Jyoti’s mother

The Supreme Court today dismissed a plea by the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, Swati Maliwal, against the release of the juvenile offender, saying “there has to be a clear legislative sanction” for it.