"The entire country should hang its head in shame." This was BJP leader and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley's reaction on Saturday to the death of the Delhi gangrape victim.

Observing that the 23-year-old gang-rape victim has been sacrificed to an environment in which women are not safe, he sought better laws and an environment where women are safe.

Jaitley said, "All our heads must hang in shame today that a young girl has fallen a victim to brutal and beastly behaviour. She has been sacrificed to an environment in which women are not safe".

"We must now introspect as to how we can improve our laws, our judicial processes and most importantly the consciousness of the citizenry which creates a better environment where women can live with dignity," Jaitley told PTI.

"We need to ask ourselves why such incidents happen in India. What kind of atmosphere have we created that allow such crimes to take place...

The senior BJP leader also emphasised on the need for an alert citizenry.

"The most important thing is to have an alert citizenry... Only alert citizens can force police to act, prevent such crimes from happening."

He said the victim's death has shaken the conscience of the whole society and urged it to introspect on the issue.

Not one of the six arrested had the conscience to say 'stop it'.... The couple was lying by the roadside for a few minutes un-noticed," Jaitley said.

The eminent lawyer also said the government needs to communicate with the people and various wings of the regime should not adopt an adversarial position.

"We need to create an environment in India where no woman is treated in this manner. You need a legal regime, a quick disposal judicial process, quick investigative process and above all an alert and conscious society that does not allow such incidents to pass away as they have passed," he said.