E-Paper
IIT-BHU sexual assault case: UP Congress’s statewide protests on Jan 10
The incident occurred on November 2, 2023, when a 22-year-old student was allegedly waylaid, stripped and sexually assaulted by three men when she stepped out of her hostel to meet a friend, according to the FIR
Uttar Pradesh Congress will on Wednesday (January 10) stage statewide street protests against the Yogi government over the alleged gangrape of an IIT-BHU student reported on November 2 last year. “Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) leaders and workers will take to the streets in all districts of the state in protest against the incident,” said UPCC president Ajay Rai at a press conference here on Monday.
“The police took 60 days to arrest the accused because they were associated with the BJP IT cell and were close to several BJP leaders. The arrest was delayed deliberately because of the assembly elections in five states because the BJP perhaps feared that it’s association with the rapists would hurt its prospects in the polls. The police had to arrest the accused because the victim had identified the culprits,” Rai claimed.
“Often the police hold a press conference parading the accused, but in this case, they did not do any such thing. Nor did the police take the accused on remand to know about the firearm that the accused had allegedly used to take the girl student hostage at gunpoint,” he further claimed.
Ever since the incident has been reported, there have been incessant protests by BHU students in Varanasi and other students elsewhere. The UP Police on December 31 arrested the three accused in the case. The arrests, which came two months after protests started in the institute, triggered a political row, with the opposition alleging that the accused were being shielded as they were linked to the BJP, a charge denied by the ruling party.
In the early hours of November 2, a 22-year-old student was allegedly waylaid, stripped and sexually assaulted by three men when she stepped out of her hostel to meet a friend, according to the FIR. The complainant said the three accused, who were riding a motorcycle, also recorded the assault.
Talking about the UPCC’s recently concluded ‘UP Jodo Yatra’, Rai said, “People came out in support of the yatra and the Congress for they are distressed over the crime against women, cane prices, farm issues, unemployment etc. Students, lawyers, traders and women supported the yatra and many also gave donations and logistics support to the yatra that began from Saharanpur on December 20 and ended in Lucknow on January 6.”
“The UPCC will further raise public issues through such campaigns following the experience and feedback gained about the public issues during the yatra,” he added.
