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Protection of aggrieved family is state responsibility, says Rahul Gandhi after meeting Hathras gang-rape victim’s kin
The Congress cavalcade met a heavy deployment of security personnel on Delhi-Noida border where it was decided that Rahul, Priyanka and a few Congress leaders will be allowed to enter Uttar Pradesh.
After meeting the family members of the Hathras gang-rape victim on Saturday evening, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the state government must protect the grieving family. “I stand with the family. It is the responsibility of the state government to ensure their safety,” the Congress leader said after the meeting that continued for over 30 minutes.
“The family needs protection,” said Priyanka Gandhi, who had a one-on-one chat with the victim’s mother when the Gandhis were inside the house of the victim. “The family couldn’t see their daughter for the one last time. UP CM Yogi Adityanath should understand his responsibility. Till the time justice is delivered, we’ll continue this fight,” Priyanka said.
Following a series of dramatic incidents, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reached Hathras on Saturday evening at around 7pm. Security was beefed up around the residence of the gang-rape victim who died in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on September 29, after being alleged gang-raped by four upper caste men. This was their second attempt to meet the family members, the first one being thwarted by Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday, on the pretext of Section 144.
On Saturday noon, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi started for Hathras by road. At least 35 other Congress leaders, including some MPs, were also on their way to Hathras. The Congress cavalcade met a heavy deployment of security personnel on Delhi-Noida border where it was decided that Rahul, Priyanka and a few Congress leaders will be allowed to enter Uttar Pradesh. Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accompanied the Gandhis.
The Gandhis’ visit to Hathras comes a day after a Trinamool delegation was stopped by the Uttar Pradesh police, drawing flak from even veteran BJP leader Uma Bharti. The BJP leader from AIIMS Hrishikesh — where she is admitted for Covid-19 treatment — tweeted, urging Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to allow opposition leaders in Hathras as UP police conduct was “earning bad name for the BJP government and UP government as well.”
On Friday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the suspension of Hathras superintendent of police Vikrant Vir and three other police officers for their handling of the case.The government also decided that “narco-analysis polygraph tests” would be conducted on everyone involved in the case, including the victim’s family.
