MPs Rally to End Acid Attacks, Back Survivors’ Fight for Justice
Support Survivor-Led NGO’s 4 Demands to Eradicate the Crime in India
April 5, 2025
Photo by Brave Souls Foundation
Acid attack survivors found allies in Parliament on April 2, as Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led a meeting to push for stronger legislative action against the crime. Joined by about eight other MPs at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi, Singh amplified the demands of Brave Souls Foundation (BSF)—a survivor-led NGO—calling for stricter laws and better support for victims.
The meeting was held about a fortnight after Singh, during Zero Hour in the upper house on March 19, urged Parliament to act against acid attacks, which involve the intentional use of corrosive substances to harm, disfigure, or kill victims, with severe physical and psychological consequences.
The attendees at the Constitution Club of India included Rajya Sabha MPs Jaya Bachchan from the Samajwadi Party, Ashok Mittal from AAP, and Imran Pratapgarhi, Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi and Rajeev Shukla from the Congress party, John Britas from the Communist Party of India – Marxist, P.V. Abdul Wahab from the Indian Union Muslim League and Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy of YSR Congress.
According to BSF, women comprise 80% of victims, with 30% being under 18. The attacks stem from motives such as rejected advances, family disputes, religious extremism and property conflicts. Survivors, often from marginalised backgrounds, face economic hardship, social stigma and limited romantic prospects due to society’s emphasis on physical appearance.
In 2022, India recorded 124 acid attack cases with 140 victims and 38 attempted attacks, though underreporting remains a concern due to stigma and fear of victimisation.
BSF founder Shaheen Malik, an acid attack survivor herself, spoke about the gravity of the crime, sharing her own story of being attacked at the age of 23 and how her life was forever altered. She said that an acid attack is one of the worst crimes that can be committed against a person.
“The crime of acid attack never ends; it’s in your face every day,” said Malik.
Sumitra, a survivor, recounted a recent experience: “I was recently travelling in a metro when someone asked me to cover my face because they couldn’t bear to see my burnt and deformed face.”
Shaheen stressed that acid attacks are not isolated incidents but a systemic failure that demands urgent, multi-faceted intervention. She urged Parliament to enforce the Supreme Court’s guidelines on free medical treatment and proposed a Model Hospital Policy to ensure adequate healthcare infrastructure for survivors.
Photo by Brave Souls Foundation
Advocate Choudhary Ali Zia Kabir, Principal Advisor at BSF, said comprehensive legislation was urgently needed, similar to laws in countries like Bangladesh. He proposed a four-pronged legislative framework to combat acid attacks. (1) He called for a complete ban on retail acid sales by ensuring that acid is classified as a regulated chemical and removed from general retail circulation. (2) He demanded free and comprehensive medical treatment for survivors, requiring all public and private hospitals to provide treatment, reconstructive surgeries and medications at no cost. (3) Referring to compensation laws in motor accident cases, he urged that acid attack survivors be granted a minimum of 5 million (50 lakh) rupees as compensatory relief. (4) To ensure timely justice, he pushed for the creation of fast-track courts dedicated to acid attack cases, enabling swift trials and convictions.
At the meeting, MPs took turns sharing their views and commitments.
Singh said he was deeply shocked and distressed when he first met acid attack survivors at a BSF awareness program. That experience, he said, led him to commit to addressing the issue.
Bachchan, who represents Uttar Pradesh, was visibly moved after meeting the survivors. “I’m stunned and numb,” she said. She encouraged BSF to prepare a charter detailing the necessary steps to address the problem and promised financial support of 5 million (50 lakh) rupees to Brave Souls Foundation from her MP fund.
Abdul Wahab, from Kerala, pledged financial support of 2.5 million (25 lakh) rupees and offered his solidarity to the cause.
Pratapgarhi, from Maharashtra, commended Singh for raising the issue in Parliament. He also extended an apology to the survivors on behalf of society, stating, “When a person is attacked with acid, it’s not just the body but the soul that’s attacked, and the scars are deeper than any of us can imagine.” He pledged to donate a month’s salary to support acid attack victims and BSF.
Mandadi, who represents Telangana, stressed the need for free and comprehensive treatment for survivors and committed to ensuring this in his state.
Mittal, from Punjab and founder-chancellor of Lovely Professional University, offered free undergraduate and postgraduate education for survivors at his university, along with financial support of 500,000 (5 lakh) rupees.
Shukla, representing Chhattisgarh—and a former journalist and BCCI vice-president—said the issue needs to be dealt with urgently. He called for MPs to go beyond party lines to pressure the government into action and proposed bringing survivors to the floor of Parliament to ensure their voices are heard.
Malik said that collaborative efforts would not only support survivors but also help protect society as a whole.
Adv. Kabir added, “Acid attacks are the most brutal form of gender violence—they permanently scar and disable survivors, destroy their identity, and prevent them from moving on. Even when they manage to heal, society does not let them. They are often abandoned by families and discriminated against. Almost always, women from socio-economically disadvantaged groups bear multiple layers of marginalisation.”
The Brave Souls Foundation said it will submit an official memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office and relevant ministries, calling for strict enforcement of Supreme Court guidelines, the introduction of a comprehensive Acid Attack Survivors Rehabilitation Bill, regular monitoring of compensation and medical aid distribution, and public awareness campaigns to challenge social discrimination against survivors.
If words translate into action, the meeting could mark a turning point in the fight against acid attacks in India, laying the groundwork for real change.