President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday called for abolishing the provision of mercy petitions for those convicted of sexual offences against children saying “demonic” attacks on women have shaken the conscience of the country.

“In this context, several things are coming up. Such convicts have been given the right of mercy petition by the Constitution. I have said that there should be reconsideration on this... In cases under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, they be deprived of the right of mercy petition. They do not need any such right,” he said.

The Union Cabinet has given its nod to amend certain sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 to include provision of death penalty in cases of sexual offences against children.

It is for Parliament to take a decision on the matter and make necessary constitutional amendments, “but the thought of all of us is moving ahead in that direction”, he said.

“It is the responsibility of every parent to instill among boys the feeling of respect for women,” Kovind said at Mount Abu, Rajasthan, the headquarters of ‘Brahm Kumaris’, a world-wide spiritual organisation run by women.

Kovind was expressing his views in the backdrop of a spate of recent violence incidents of rape, killing and burning of women across the country which has triggered public protest and debate on the safety of young girls and children.

Speaking on women empowerment, the President said education is important for empowerment of women.

“It is true that when you make a boy educated, it gives benefit to one family but when you make a girl educated, its benefit goes to two families. Another important fact is that the children of an educated woman do not remain uneducated,” he said.

Kovind said financial empowerment of women was equally important and the Centre’s Jan Dhan Yojana has played an important role in that direction.

Remembering BR Ambedkar on his death anniversary, the President said Ambedkar always gave priority to women empowerment.

He said there has been an improvement in child sex ratio due to women development centric schemes and Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been honoured for the improvement.

“I have been informed that an improvement of nearly 35 points is child sex ratio is there in Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. This is an important social change. Birth of 1003 daughters per 1000 sons in Rajasthan’s Banswara district is a good thing,” he said.

He said example of political empowerment of women is also there.

“This year, for the present Lok Sabha, election of 78 women MP is an achievement for our society. In rural India, more than 10 lakh women through Panchayti Raj Institutions are also playing their role effectively,” he said.

The President, who was addressing a national convention on ‘empowerment of women for social transformation’ organised by the Brahma Kumaris, stressed that a society based on equality and harmony could only be possible by empowering women.

Kovind said the theme of this national conference is very relevant and Brahma Kumaris are carrying out empowerment of women for social change in the true sense.