Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

Opposition bays for Barala blood

INLD, Congress women wings submit memoranda to Haryana, Punjab guvs; demand state BJP chief’s resignatio­n, strict action against his ‘stalker’ son

- HT Correspond­ent letterschd@hindustant­imes.com

CHANDIGARH: The women wings of opposition parties Congress and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Tuesday held demonstrat­ions demanding resignatio­n of the Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala and strict action against his son, who is accused of stalking the daughter of an IAS officer.

Led by the All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) president Shobha Oza, a delegation of the state unit submitted a memorandum to Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and UT administra­tor and Punjab governor VP Badnore, demanding action against those delaying justice to Varnika Kundu.

Later, Oza told mediaperso­ns that they were was pained to see that the Chandigarh police, working directly under the Union home ministry, were trying to protect Barala and his son.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take an exemplary action against his party leaders and bureaucrat­s who have tried to protect the culprits. We appreciate Vernika’s exemplary courage and urge the central government to honour her with a bravery award,” she said.

She termed as ironical Barala’s statement that Vernika was like his daughter. “If he had any such feeling, he would have himself got all the serious sections included in the FIR against his son,” she said.

“If these people are not punished for their misdeeds, then such people will get encouraged and our daughters would be really unsafe in this country. Unfortunat­ely, police are trying to hush up the matter under pressure. This is condemnabl­e. If this daughter of ours does not get justice in this case, then women and girls in this country will lose their faith in the system,” she said.

Oza also said that ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ has been reduced to a mere slogan in Haryana. On the alleged attack on the woman on social media, she said, “Attempts were being made to spread lies about her. We demand that all those involved should be booked for cyber crime.”

The woman wing of the INLD also submitted a memorandum to Solanki decrying shoddy functionin­g of the UT police in the case. Demanding resignatio­n of Barala, the Indian National Lok Dal workers, e led by INLD state president Ashok Arora and woman wing president Sheela Bhyan, demanded appropriat­e sections be added to the FIR.

When the INLD women workers tried take out a protest rally up to Raj Bhawan, they were stopped by the police and taken in a bus to the governor house where they submitted the memorandum.

Some workers who did not go to Raj Bhawan continued a demonstrat­e near the MLA hostel complex and burnt the effigy of the BJP.

If these people are not punished for their misdeeds, they will feel encouraged and our daughters will be unsafe. It’s sad that police are trying to hush up the case. SHOBHA OZA, All India Mahila Congress president

 ?? HT PHOTOS ?? Mahila Congress workers burn the effigy of Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala in Panchkula on Tuesday; (below) INLD leaders at Haryana Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh to meet the governor.
HT PHOTOS Mahila Congress workers burn the effigy of Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala in Panchkula on Tuesday; (below) INLD leaders at Haryana Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh to meet the governor.

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