BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi on Friday conducted a press conference where she hit out at the Opposition for 'communalising' the Kathua rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl. She also spoke of the Unnao rape of a minor girl, who is now an adult, allegedly at the hands of a BJP MLA, saying that appropriate action has been taken by law enforcement agencies.
Lekhi also said that two MLAs who supported the Kathua accused at rallies in Jammu and Kashmir had been 'misled'.
“They should not have protested. They should have ideally not commented until an investigation was conducted. The J&K police conducted a thorough investigation and have arrested the accused,” she said, adding that the protests and vigils conducted by Opposition was a ploy to communalise the incident.
While speaking of the Unnao incident, Lekhi said that the incident took place last year, but when the victim approached the court, she did not take Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the accused BJP MLA’s name before the magistrate. “She later took his name, which resulted in the complaint filed by the accused against the victim’s family. Currently, Sengar is being questioned by the CBI, but his brother Atul Singh was arrested for assaulting the victim’s father,” Lekhi told mediapersons .
She also highlighted a rape-and-murder case from Nangaon, Assam where a Class Five girl, aged 12, was raped and burnt alive by a 21-year-old by a three individuals including one named Zakir Hussain. She claimed: "Nobody has reported anything about Zakir Hussain. Please don’t communalise rape cases. All the victims deserve justice."
In that incident, which was reported in March, the girl was reportedly raped in her house when she was alone in the home after returning from school. Then the accused poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze. The victim was found by one of the family members when they saw smoke coming out.
Lekhi went on allege there was conspiracy against the Centre. She said: “You see their plan, first shout 'minority minority', then 'Dalit Dalit', and now 'women women' and then try to somehow fix blame of state issues on the centre. All this while ignoring the strict action being taken by state govts.”
Earlier, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi on Friday spoke out against the rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Jammu & Kashmir's Kathua.
In a video shared by the ministry, a 'deeply disturbed' minister has called for amendments in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and has even asked for death penalty on those convicted of raping minors.
Earlier, HRD minister Smriti Irani said that the victim shouldn't be blamed. UP CM Yogi Adityanath had promised that the guilty would be punished, no matter how influential they were.
On Thursday, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi led a midnight march to the India Gate in New Delhi to protest the Kathua and Unnao minor rape cases and said it's time for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to walk the talk on 'beti bachao' (save the girl child).
Amid slogans against the BJP and the Prime Minister during the march, Gandhi said the women of the country are afraid to go out today and the government must ensure their safety.
Gandhi was joined by his sister Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra as also their children, besides scores of Congress leaders, party workers and others, who were seen shouting slogans, carrying candles and some even placards against the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir while demanding urgent action against the perpetrators of two heinous gangrapes -- one in Unnao (UP) and the other in Kathua (J&K).
"We are here against crimes being committed against women, against rapes, violence and murder and the government must act on this. This is a national issue and not a political one," Gandhi said at the march in the heart of the national capital.
"This is about our women. Thousands are present here including the common people and people from all parties. This situation is such today that one after another incident of murder, rape and violence is taking place in various parts of the country. We are standing here against that and we want the government to act," he said.
Amid slogans being raised against the government at the protest march, Gandhi said the women of the country are afraid to go out today and the government must ensure their safety and help them live in peace.
On the Modi government's 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' initiative, Gandhi said it was the right slogan and the Prime Minister must start work on 'Beti Bachao'.
"Today, India's women are afraid of coming out in public. Women and girls are being killed and raped. We want that the government should resolve this issue so that the Indian women can come out on the roads and live a life free of fear.
"This is a national issue and not a political one. It concerns our women. People of all parties, common people and women are here. I only want to say that the government should do something about the plight of women and the crimes against them," he said.
Several people were seen having brought their children as well, but at times, the chaotic crowd appeared getting out of control and Priyanka Vadra was shoved by some, prompting her to ask people to maintain calm and remember the "cause" for which they had come there.
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