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Row over Rathore: Anand Prakash’s family asks Haryana to not let convicted people take centre stage in govt functions
The family has been demanding an unconditional apology from the district administration for allowing tainted former DGP SPS Rathore to sit in the front row in a district-level Republic Day function.
Ruchika Girhotra molestation case crusader late Anand Prakash’s family and activists on Tuesday demanded from the Haryana government to frame guidelines to abstain people, convicted of heinous crimes, from getting prominence in government functions.
The family has been demanding an unconditional apology from the district administration for allowing tainted former DGP SPS Rathore to sit in the front row in a district-level Republic Day function, last Friday.
Rathore was convicted in 2009 for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra back in 1990. Three years after the molestation, Ruchika committed suicide. While Ruchika’s family faced a setback, Parkash and his wife fought for Ruchika, who was their daughter Aradhna’s childhood friend and a witness in the case.
‘Revise protocols’
Aradhna Gupta said that in wake of this incident, the protocols need to be revised.
“Can a society tolerate a child molester or a rapist taking centre stage on the functions of national importance? No they will never,” she said. She said that it is a moral dilemma which should be addressed with right decisions so that such incidents are not repeated in future.
In a media interaction, activist Shalini Malviya said, “We are waiting for the administration to apologise for their act.” Assuming that the state government is serious about its Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign, they should take effective steps at social level to contain the menace of atrocities on women, she said.
Reacting on chief minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar’s Monday statement that they were examining the matter, they wanted the CM to expedite the matter. “The government should not waste time in legal aspects and act fast,” said Aradhna.
