Six years ago the brutal rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Kotkhai subdivision’s Hilaila village had sent shock waves across the country, the aftershocks of which are still being felt in the hill state with BJP and Congress once again trading barbs over the gruesome incident, much to the chagrin of the victim’s family.
It all started when Congress chief Pratibha Singh kicking up a controversy after she dismissed the heinous crime as a ‘chotti si vardat’ (minor incident). Later, she blamed the media for misquoting her. However, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) was quick to hit out at the Congress leader with the saffron party’s women’s wing staging protests across the state and demanding a public apology from the Congress leader. The party’s Mahila Morcha chief Rashmidhar Sood even visited the victim’s family in their village.
In a rebuttal, Himachal Congress’ women’s wing chief Jenab Chandel said, “The facts of the matter have been distorted. The BJP is trying to blow the statement out of proportion, just to draw political mileage and divert the public’s attention from the core issues.”
Meanwhile, the victim’s family is equally upset with both parties for politicising their daughter’s death. “Politicians do not spare anybody, which is why my late daughter is in the news once again. However, no political party helped us in our fight for justice, but now are using her name to gain public support,” said the victim’s father, Keshav Ram 58.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the victim’s family is equally upset with both parties for politicising their daughter’s death. “Politicians do not spare anybody, which is why my late daughter is in the news once again. However, no political party helped us in our fight for justice, but now are using her name to gain public support,” said the victim’s father, Keshav Ram 58.
{{/usCountry}}Her mother, Krishna Devi, has yet again moved the Himachal Pradesh high court, challenging the Central Bureau of Investigation’s probe.
“ My only hope is the court, not the political parties. Barring a few individuals, not one has extended help in our quest for justice. I have met chief minister Jai Ram Thakur many times,” her father said, adding that he did not know whether the helpline setup in her name had helped anybody or not.
Madad Sewa Trust, a non-governmental organisation, which is providing the family free legal aide has moved court seeking that political parties be barred from making any statement in the rape and murder case.
“The matter is in court and as such it does not behove political parties to politicise the issue yet again,” said Vikas Thapta, secretary of the trust.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has condemned both the BJP and opposition Congress for insensitively politicising the rape case in the run up to the polls. AAP’s women wing president Nirmal Sharma said, “ Both parties are trying to cash in on the Kotkhai rape and murder case. The HPCC president’s statement on Gudiya case is shameful and the BJP using it as a political tool is unfortunate,” she said, adding that the party stands by the victim’s family which has been denied justice for six years.