MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Shakti Act which says that the cabinet of Maharashtra approves the bill of the death penalty for rape, acid attack, and child abuse, has been passed recently. Actors give their take!

Delnaaz Irani: I am very happy and positive today with this change that has come. Obviously, anybody would be happy. I am sure anybody, in the right spirit and sense, is going to be thrilled about this decision. It is the need of the hour because unless and until the punishment is harsh, this kind of crime will never be eradicated. The punishment has to be really strict, so I guess this is something that will bring a huge change.

Nivedita Basu: I think the best thing that the Maharashtra government could do was to pass this act and even though, the crime rate in terms of an acid attack, rape is much lesser in Maharashtra than the north, but it definitely should give perpetuity to some fear. It should also be an eye-opener for the Delhi government to do something like this because it’s a huge thing there. I hope that the rate of crime should go down with the fear of this. Of course, it is the need of the hour. We can hope that the fear of this strict punishment will scare them. I still want that this act should be applicable across the country. We hear of Covid-19 related death but nobody knows that rape and other death cases is much higher than the number of Covid-19 deaths which are occurring in at the country.

Rajshri Rani: I feel this is such a great step. Hopefully, such terrible crimes will stop now. It is so sad that there are so many rapes and acid attacks in our country. I hope people are terrified now and don't commit such crimes. Capital punishment is the best kind of punishment for these people. I hope it works as a warning too and stops the occurrence of these acts.

Rajit Dev: I’m relieved by the bill which has been passed for rape, acid attacks and child abuse. It’s been very long that the victims have not got justice for these kinds of gruesome and inhuman acts. The safety of women and children was always a question. Finally, with this kind of bill being passed, no one would dare to think of committing such crimes. The fear of law was missing earlier. People should fear for their life even before thinking of doing anything like rape, acid attack or child abuse. I totally support the death penalty as a punishment for such heinous crimes.

Manit Jorua: This is definitely the need of the hour and it’s a great step towards reducing these heinous acts. This has been happening in the country and this act spread fear in society. It is a great step but again one thing needs to be understood that only with the fear, you cannot change the vision of people. This act will reduce the number of cases dramatically but you cannot change how some people think. If you want to change the vision of people and completely eradicate this from society then you have to educate men, children and everybody else and need to make them understand that women are equal like men. That is what is the need of the hour. This can only happen with proper training, education, right employment, only then will the society grow.

Aanushka Ramesh: I am all in favour of the Maharashtra Shakti act. I think this was long overdue because this heinous crime not only destroys the victims but traumatizes them forever. The accused have to be punished in the most severe way. So many such incidents have occurred over the last many years, this is absolutely the need of the hour and I am extremely happy that the bill has been passed. I certainly feel this will help in reducing the occurrence of crime because the very fact that one may get a death penalty will definitely make perpetrators think twice. As a woman, and especially as a human being, this bill is commendable and it will help in controlling the crime to some extent.

Saanand Verma: I support Maharashtra Shakti act, this is a very good step taken by the Maharashtra government because rape and other crimes like acid attack, child abuse are really heinous and the punishment for these should be the death penalty only. So it’s a very good decision and I want that this act should be imposed on the whole world.