Sibal, Renuka war over sex workers

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Sibal, Renuka war over sex workers

Vineeta Pandey, Saturday, September 15, 2007 01:57 IST

Amendment to the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act is being

reconsidered

NEW DELHI: You can depend on Renuka Chowdhury to pick up catfights

with all men in

The argument she had with science and technology minister Kapil Sibal

over the proposed amendment to the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention)

Act at last week's cabinet meeting was so heated that the matter had

to be referred to a group of ministers for " re-examination. "

The amendment, besides enhancing the punishment to those involved in

trafficking of women, makes the client of a sex worker a criminal.

Under the present law, while the women in the trade are punished

for " seduction " , the men and all others involved virtually go scot-

free. The amendment seeks to ensure the opposite. Portraying sex

workers as " victims " instead of " offenders " , the amendment awards a

jail term of up to seven years to the customers.

During the discussion on the proposed amendment, when Sibal expressed

his reservations over punishing men for visiting a brothel, Chowdhury

lost her cool.

While the tiff between Sibal and Chowdhury went on and on, health

minister Anbumani Ramadoss and sports minister Mani Provoked further,

Chowdhury kept vociferously arguing that the move is an attempt " to

prevent the harassment of innocent girls who are forced into the

flesh trade by traffickers. " Chowdhury asked: " If we don't punish

men, whom do we punish? "

Her proposed amendment seeks the removal of Section 8 ( " seducing or

soliciting for the purpose of prostitution " ) under which sex workers

are booked by the police. The penalty under this section is

imprisonment between two to five years while the customers are let

off. If the amendment is approved, sex workers will not be asked to

vacate the property they reside in as they are told to do now.

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