Congress takes dig at Yogi Adityanath govt over alleged gang-rape in Badaun

The Congress on Wednesday cited the alleged gang-rape and murder of a middle-aged woman in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh as the latest example of how the Yogi Adityanath government “continues to remain indifferent” to crimes against women even after the Hathras and Unnao incidents and despite the BJP’s claims of “Ram rajya in UP”.
Party spokesperson Alka Lamba alleged that the state administration and the police were “trying to cover up the Badaun gang-rape rape incident and shield the culprits just as they tried at Hathras and Unnao”. She said even after the relatives of the victim complained about the incident and about the alleged role of a temple priest and his aide in the gang-rape and murder of the woman, police initially tried to treat it as a case of suicide. “There has also been a delay in filing an FIR (first information report) and collecting and protecting the evidence,” she said.

“Why have the woman governor of the state (Anandiben Patel) and the Union minister of women and child development Smriti Irani, who is from the state (Lok Sabha member from Amethi), not yet spoken about the incident? Smriti Irani ji was also silent about Hathras and Unnao and if she is back from family holiday and still has some time to spare, she should visit the victim’s family at Badaun and should assure the family members of justice,” said Lamba.

She said the Congress wants a sitting high court judge monitored probe, a fast-track trial and a minimum Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family members of the victim.