Here is a tragic story of 24 year old married woman of Surat city in Gujarat state. A 24-year old married woman was kidnapped from her home in Surat and was gang raped by seven persons for nearly six months. Somehow she managed to escape from them and lodged a police complaint.
She turned pregnant due to the sexual assault and the real trouble starts here due to the rules in judiciary. She had approached high court and requested to allow her to abort her pregnancy.
But the court has refused to permit the gang rape survivor to terminate her 28-week pregnancy citing that law does not permit abortion beyond 20 weeks' pregnancy. The high court told her that it can’t allow terminating pregnancy in the present status because the foetus is a living being with a fundamental right to live.
The court also directed the collector to ensure that woman is provided all care towards a safe delivery and the child is not abandoned. HC ordered district collector to keep a close watch on the gangraped woman's family members, including her husband.The rape survivor said that she accepts the court order and will abide by it.
The decision of court turned controversial and many people opposing it. The courts may be safe guarding the fundamental rights of the child to be born but what about the woman’s fundamental rights?
She turned pregnant due to the sexual assault and the real trouble starts here due to the rules in judiciary. She had approached high court and requested to allow her to abort her pregnancy.
But the court has refused to permit the gang rape survivor to terminate her 28-week pregnancy citing that law does not permit abortion beyond 20 weeks' pregnancy. The high court told her that it can’t allow terminating pregnancy in the present status because the foetus is a living being with a fundamental right to live.
The court also directed the collector to ensure that woman is provided all care towards a safe delivery and the child is not abandoned. HC ordered district collector to keep a close watch on the gangraped woman's family members, including her husband.The rape survivor said that she accepts the court order and will abide by it.
The decision of court turned controversial and many people opposing it. The courts may be safe guarding the fundamental rights of the child to be born but what about the woman’s fundamental rights?