Gautam Gambhir says he favours exemplary punishment for rapists

Senior India cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Friday expressed his views on woman-related issues on the occasion of the women's day and said that he favoured exemplary punishment for rapists.

In an interactive session with his fans on twitter, Gambhir, who was dropped from the Indian Test team for the ongoing home series against Australia, said that value education at home would be the first step for men to respect women.

"I am all for an exemplary punishment. I think it should be such that it should send chill down d spines of the ppl," he wrote in reply to a fan who asked him how the rapists should be punished.

On why girls are criticised for wearing western clothes, Gambhir said, "It is like stopping people from walking on the roads because a lunatic doesn't have brakes in his car. RIDICULOUS."

"That is a freedom women deserve," he wrote in reply to a related query.

When a fan tweeted that "the first and foremost thing that the Indian Govt. Should do is incorporate a chapter on respecting woman in d schools", Gambhir replied, "I agree totally".

"Yes that is the first step, teaching values in the family," Gambhir wrote in reply to a tweet which said "moral values should begin at home! Teaching each ones sons to respect everyone equally".

He, however, felt that change should start from the individual and government's efforts would not be enough to tackle issues related to women.

"2 an extent it is about the government & the laws but at the end of it all it is self-governance. d buck stops at me & u," he wrote.

"I think women need to be self-empowered in more ways than one. I think change has to start with the individuals, you and me have to make it happen. Come on," Gambhir said.

On a pointed tweet about the brutal gangrape and subsequent death of a Delhi girl in December last which shook the conscience of the nation, Gambhir wrote, "Don't let your voice die down, I am positive that things will move for sure. Justice will be done."

On a query why voter ID card has only father's name and not mother's, Gambhir wrote, "Dat is one thing I don't get. From my end when I have children, they will have mother's name (Natasha) on their admision forms."

On the issue of female foeticide, Gambhir said, "It is such a disrespect that families abort if they get to know it is a girl child. To me that is the most ridiculous thing."

Asked about the woman who has inspired him, Gambhir replied, "To me they come in different forms but one stands out -- MOTHER, who carries, delivers and then shapes a human life. Salutes"

Summarising Gambhir wrote, "1. We need exemplary punishment and that too in public. 2. We need laws to be reformed. 3. women in police stations handling sensitive cases 4. Bollywood to be a little conservative in treating women characters. 5. BUT ABOVE ALL SELF GOVERNANCE."