Hope PM will observe fast over atrocities against women: Rahul

LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a jibe on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed hunger strike, wondering if the latter would observe a fast over the Unnao rape case, too.

“The barbarism inflicted on a father seeking justice for his daughter in Uttar Pradesh has shamed humanity. Hope the Prime Minister will soon observe a fast over atrocities against women, failed law and order and increasing anarchy under the BJP’S watch,” he said on Twitter.

Addressing a press conference, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala hit out at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath for “protecting” the accused BJP MLA, Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

“The Unnao rape survivor cried for justice and pleaded with Yogi Adityanath for around eight to nine months. However, the Yogi government did not budge because the MLA was protected by him (Adityanath),” he said.

Surjewala said the BJP government’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign should be renamed as “BJP se beti bachao (save daughters from the BJP)”.

The Congress’s women wing announced it will take out a march in Lucknow on Thursday to demand stringent action in the case.“all India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev will lead the march…uttar Pradesh is becoming a crime infested state,” said All India Mahila Congress general secretary (incharge UP) Anupama Rawat on phone.

Women activists associated with All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) staged a protest at Lucknow’s General Post Office (GPO) to demand Sengar’s arrest and wrote to Adityanath seeking an unbiased probe, preferably by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

“We strongly condemn the apathetic approach of the state government in rape case,” said Madhu Garg, who is spearheading AIDWA, here in Lucknow.

The BJP blamed the Opposition for playing politics. “Rather than pointing fingers at us, the Opposition would do well to figure out their dirty politics,” UP BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.

“Our government, or for that matter any government, shouldn’t be seen as defending a rape accused. I don’t represent the government. I belong to the party. I am proud of my association with the party which I believe will ensure that the guilty, whosoever they are, were brought to book,” said Deepti Bharadwaj, BJP media panelist.